Diseases Of Circulatory System Research Articles

A Machine Learning Approach to Evaluating the Impact of Natural Oils on Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

Alzheimer’s Disease is among the major chronic neurodegenerative diseases that affects more than 50 million people worldwide. This disease irreversibly destroys memory, cognition, and the overall daily activities which occur mainly among the elderly. Few drugs are approved for Alzheimer’s Disease management despite its high prevalence. To date, the available drugs in the market cannot reverse the damage of neurons caused by the disease leading to the exacerbation of symptoms and possibly death. Medicinal plants are considered a rich source of chemical constituents and have been contributing to modern drug discovery in many therapeutic areas including cancer, infectious, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases. Moreover, essential oils that are extracted from plant organs have been reported for a wide array of biological activities, and their roles as antioxidants, antiaging, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitory activities. This article highlights the promising potential of plants’ essential oils in the discovery of novel therapeutic options for Alzheimer’s Disease and halting its progression. In this article, 428 compounds were reported from the essential oils isolated from 21 plants. A comparative study is carried out by employing a variety of machine learning techniques, validation, and evaluation metrics, to predict essential oils’ efficacy against Alzheimer’s Disease progression. Extensive experiments on essential oil data suggest that a prediction accuracy of up to 82% can be achieved given the proper data preprocessing, feature selection, and model configuration steps. This study underscores the potential of integrating machine learning with natural product research to prioritize and expedite the identification of bioactive essential oils that could lead to effective therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer’s Disease. Further exploration and optimization of machine learning techniques could provide a robust platform for drug discovery and development, facilitating faster and more efficient screening of potential treatments.

Assessing the impact of particulate matter and formaldehyde in atmospheric air on public health

Introduction. The urgent task at hand is to establish a causal link between the occurrence of public health risks to the public and the impact of air pollution. To ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the public, it is important to consider the intake and distribution of pollutants in the atmosphere. In addition to anthropogenic sources of pollution, it is also necessary to take into account natural sources. The purpose of the work is to assess the influence of atmospheric pollution with formaldehyde and particulate matter on public health. Additionally, it aims to propose measures and recommendations to improve the environmental, health, and epidemiological well-being of the population. Materials and methods. Quantitative chemical analyses of particulate matter (PM) and formaldehyde in atmospheric precipitation were performed using the gravimetric and fluorometric methods, respectively. The general trend of annual changes in the content of PM in the atmosphere is shown to be based on the results of a study of atmospheric precipitation and air. Data on morbidity in the population was obtained from annual government reports. Results. A high correlation was found between general morbidity and atmospheric particulate matter for all population groups. However, formaldehyde was not found to be correlated with the general morbidity of the population, except for children, who may develop respiratory diseases under the influence of formaldehyde. Adults are the most vulnerable population to developing circulatory diseases, due to their high susceptibility to atmospheric particulate matter. Limitations. The gradation of particulate matter into specific fractions (PM10, PM2.5) and <0.45 microns was not considered. Conclusion. The level of formaldehyde in the air does not significantly impact the environment or the health of the general population. However, an increase in airborne particulate matter can create an unfavourable environmental condition that poses a threat to public health. Adult populations are particularly vulnerable to these conditions, as they have a high risk of developing cardiovascular system diseases that are highly dependent on the content of particulate matter in the air. To reduce this negative impact, a number of measures need to be implemented including expanding monitoring of atmospheric air quality to monitor particles with sizes of PM10, PM2.5, notifying the public about predictions of particulate matter concentrations; conducting in-depth scientific research on the biomedical impacts of particulate matter on human health.

Morphological Analysis of Nanocapsules Processed based on Deer Antler Extract

The research work is devoted to the acquisition of nanocapsules, which are one of the drug delivery systems, and their morphological analysis. In modern times, the development of new drug delivery systems from natural raw materials in the treatment and prevention of diseases of various origins is considered a priority issue of pharmacy. From this point of view, the preparation and analysis of nanocapsules based on the extract from the studied deer antlers is of great importance. As a result of the morphological analysis of nanocapsules prepared from deer antlers grown in the climatic conditions of Azerbaijan, carrageenan-coated nanocapsules have sizes 118.3-243.6 nm in SEM, 10-248 nm in TEM, and tragacanth-coated nanocapsules have sizes 33.15-224.1 nm in SEM, TEM was determined to be 15-254 nm. During numerous studies, it was determined that nanocapsules prepared with tracagant proved to be more intense and more stable. Researches were carried out in the pharmaceutical technology laboratory of Azerbaijan Medical University and AHTARC (DAYTAM) of Atatürk University of the Republic of Turkey. As a result of the conducted research, it was clear that the use of nanocapsules developed by an effective technological method from deer antlers, which has sufficient raw material reserves in Azerbaijan, is considered appropriate for future treatment of diseases in oncology, infertility, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular, and nervous system.

Hospitalizations and hospital expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic

The study aimed to analyze the epidemiological profile of hospital admissions and hospital expenditures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an epidemiological, quantitative and retrospective study, with data collection from DATASUS, by consulting the SIH/SUS of Brazil. In 2020 a total of 10,531,196 and in 2021 a total of 11,479,416 hospitalizations were recorded in Brazil, 13.6% and 9% lower than in 2019. There was a reduction in hospitalizations for pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium (15.9%), digestive system diseases (25.2%), neoplasms (14.2%), external causes (19.1%), circulatory system diseases (20.9%), and for respiratory system diseases (36.1%). However, they increased for infectious and parasitic diseases, about 79.2%. Although hospitalizations reduced in 2020 (13.6%) and 2021 (5.8%), the average value increased by 19.8% and 50.1% and total costs by 19.8% and 50.1%, respectively. We emphasize the importance of subsidizing policies that strengthen primary care in Brazil and that also encompass programs aimed at improving the social determinants of health, thus reducing the number of hospitalizations and expenditures in Brazil.

Polypharmacy and high-alert medications in patients with nasally placed feeding tube on admission and at hospital discharge: Multicenter cross-sectional study

BackgroundPolypharmacy and the use of high-alert medications in patients with nasally placed feeding tube (NPFT) increase the risks of drug related problems. ObjectiveCharacterize drugs prescribed to patients with NPFT and compare the rates of polypharmacy and high-alert medication use at admission and hospital discharge. Design and settingMulticenter cross-sectional study with 327 participants. MethodsData of patients with NPFT were obtained from the medical records and recorded in an electronic data collection tool. Mean number of drugs, polypharmacy and number of high-alert medications prescribed on admission and at discharge were compared using Wilcoxon or McNemar's tests. Generalized Estimating Equations analyzed the relationship between polypharmacy and high-alert medications according to age and time point. Primary reason for hospital admission, level of consciousness, severity of comorbid diseases and patient care complexity were also assessed. ResultsMost patients were male, older people, hospitalized for circulatory system diseases and had at least one comorbidity. On admission, a significant number of patients were alert (59.9%), at high risk for death (43.1%) and high dependent on nursing care (35.4%). Additionally, 92% patients were on polypharmacy on admission, versus 84.7% at hospital discharge (p = 0,0011). The occurrence of polypharmacy was independent of age (p = 0.2377). >17% of all drugs prescribed were high-alert medications, with no statistically significant difference between admission and discharge (p = 0,3957). There was no statistical evidence that the use of high-alert medications increases with age (n = 0,5426). ConclusionsThese results support the planning of multidisciplinary qualified actions for patients using NPFT.

The analysis of need in medical care of elder able-bodied women with diseases of blood circulation system

The purpose of the study is to analyze demand in medical care at diseases of circulatory system in women in age groups of 50-64 years old. The database of cases of medical care support of population age groups 50-64 years (the database of calls of Territorial Foundation of Mandatory Medical Insurance of the Moscow region) was used as primary information source. After correlation analysis of dependencies between indicators of demand in modeling, four indicators were left, three of them were volumetric and one frequency. Three blocks were used as basic causes included in Class IX "Diseases of the circulatory system" (ICD-10 version 2014-2016): 1. I10-I15 (Hypertensive diseases [Diseases characterized by high blood pressure]); 2. I20-I25 (Coronary heart disease); 3. I60-I69 (Cerebrovascular diseases). The study demonstrated that dynamics of frequency and volume indicators of medical care demand among women in age groups of 50-64 years testifies that in age range of 50-60 years there is linear or close to linear increase of demand, after which trend of increasing demand changed to downward one. The data obtained testify that age (as variable) explains considerable proportion of all fluctuations of volume of medical care in demand in women of 50-64 years. This result can be considered quite satisfactory for applying proposed model in planning volumes of medical care. It is noted that decreasing of demand increase rate is observed at age of termination of employment of majority of female population.

Outcomes Addressed by Longitudinal Whole-Body Electromyostimulation and Belt Electrode-Skeletal Muscle Electrical Stimulation Trials in Middle Aged-Older Adults - an Evidence Map

Introduction: Due to its time-effective, joint friendly and highly customizable character whole-body-electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is regarded as a feasible solution for a large variety of training issues. Not least for this reason WB-EMS research has increased considerably during the last few years. To identify gaps in research and summarize prevalent evidence we conducted an evidence map on outcomes addressed by WB-EMS trials in middle-aged to older, non-athletic adults so as to align future research more efficiently. Methods: Based on a comprehensive systematic search in five databases and two study registers according to PRISMA, 54 projects published in 80 articles were ultimately identified as meeting our eligibility criteria. Results: More than 90% of the studies reported outcomes related to the physical fitness or function domain. Body composition parameters were addressed by two thirds of the projects, however only 14 studies considered body composition as the primary outcome. Health-related outcomes addressed by WB-EMS trials as primary (or secondary/subordinate) outcomes included cancer/neoplasm (n=3, (n=4)), endocrine regulation (n=2, (n=6)), glucose metabolism (n=6, (n=9)), nervous system diseases (n=2), cardiovascular system diseases (n=6, (16)), non-specific chronic low back pain (n=4), osteopenia (n=2, (n=3)) and diseases of the renal system (n=1, (n=11)). Outcomes related to inflammation were addressed three times as a primary and 15 times as a secondary/subordinate outcome. Of importance, no studies reported clinically relevant adverse effects related to the WB-EMS intervention. Conclusion: In summary, while considerable evidence on outcomes related to fitness/function and body composition is prevalent, evidence gaps of WB-EMS research were particular evident for diseases of the nervous and cerebrovascular system.

Evaluation of medicinal and nutritional effectiveness of abelmoschus esculentus L

Plants that have been used under the name of traditional treatment for many years have been supported by recent studies. We use plant species as bioactive phytochemicals in many areas of our lives. In addition to being used in cosmetics, food, medical, and industrial applications, it is a potential product for preventing diseases with the compounds found in its structures. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) with its bioavailability and phytochemical compounds has an important place among such plants. Okra is a vegetable plant that grows in tropical and subtropical environments and belongs to the family Malvaceae. Okra, which is thought to be of African origin, is an edematous plant, especially for Pakistan and India. Okra has various uses with its seed, flower, leaf, bark, and stem parts. It is mostly used as a fresh and green soft vegetable. The edible parts are rich in carbohydrates, protein, fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Due to these compositions, it plays a vital role in human nutrition. Okra seeds are a potential source of oil with concentrations between 20% and 40% decoctions, containing up to 47.4% linoleic acid. Its seeds are rich in linoleic acid. It is also known to be rich in high-quality protein in terms of essential amino acid content. The soft and edible parts become mucilaginous after cooking. Carbohydrates are usually found in the form of mucilage. In recent years, more attention has been paid to the use of metabolites found and obtained in some parts of plants, such as seeds, leaves, and bark, in medical fields and their effects on human health. The different parts of the okra plant (mucilage, seeds, and pods) contain some important bioactive components that give it its medicinal properties. These bioactive components of okra have been studied for their potential effects on various chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and digestive system diseases, as well as their anti-fatigue, liver detoxification, and antibacterial activities under the influence of polyphenols, which allow it to have antioxidant properties in its content. In general, okra is recognized as an important food product with various nutritional values and potential health benefits, easy to procure, and low cost.

Based on the Advantages of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy, the Multiple Exploration of the Correlation between the Meridians and the Circulatory System of the Nervous System

The meridians, nervous system, and circulatory system are important components of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine. The meridians have a high degree of consistency with the distribution of the nervous and circulatory systems in modern medicine, and are closely related in the process of disease treatment. Therefore, people often confuse the three. Based on the great advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of nervous system and circulatory system diseases, the author has made diversified exploration on its rele⁃ vance in terms of origin, physiological anatomy, physiological function and clinical application. It is believed that meridians have their relative independence, and the nervous and circulatory systems cannot completely replace meridians. However, meridians are closely related to the nervous and circulatory systems, and in clinical practice, meridians can be combined with the nervous and circulatory systems to guide the treatment of diseases.

Does the use of hirudotherapy reduce pain? A narrative review

Background: Leeches therapy also known as hirudotherapy, is one of the oldest methods used in medicine. Hirudotherapy treatments are increasingly used as a useful therapeutic method in the treatment of various diseases as an independent and complementary therapy. The method is used, among others, to treat pain, circulatory system diseases, diabetic complications and arthritis. It is also effectively used by surgeons to treat venous diseases, hematomas and wounds.Aim of the study: The aim of the article was to evaluate the review of the literature on hirudotherapy and its impact on eliminating pain.Material and methods: The analysis included articles located in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, including publications from 2010 to 2024. The keywords used were: leeches medicinal, hirudotherapy, pain.Results: A total of 15 out of 29 articles were qualified for the review. The search resulted in 4 Randomized Controlled Trials, 5 case reports, and 2 case series. 2 systematic reviews and 2 meta-analyses. The research shows that the use of hirudotherapy can be an effective method in the treatment of pain in various clinical conditions. Both clinical studies and case reports confirm the effectiveness of this method in relieving pain.Conclusions: At this stage, it can be concluded that hirudotherapy can be an independent or supportive therapy in the treatment of pain in various diseases. Studies have differed regarding the use of leeches to treat pain. An important issue is to determine the appropriate leech use regimen: number of leeches, frequency and duration of use.

АНАЛИЗ ВЛИЯНИЯ ОБЛУЧЕНИЯ НА МУЛЬТИМОРБИДНОСТЬ УЧАСТНИКОВ ЛИКВИДАЦИИ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ АВАРИИ НА ЧЕРНОБЫЛЬСКОЙ АЭС

Purpose: To give a general idea of the most common combinations of diseases in the male population of the Russian Federation and to identify the combinations of diseases, the development of which could be influenced by ionising radiation. Material and methods: Cohort study of the influence of external gamma irradiation on multimorbidity of the Chernobyl accident liquidation participants according to the data of the National Radiation Epidemiological Registry. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence in one participant of the cohort of two or more diseases from the list consisting of ten groups of diagnoses: diseases of lower respiratory tract, diseases of musculoskeletal system, diseases of endocrine system, mental disorders, oncology, neurology, diseases of digestive organs, diseases of cardiovascular system, diseases of genitourinary system, diseases of sense organs. The cohort consisted of men born between 1919 and 1969 who worked in the accident zone from 1986 to 1987 and had a documented whole-body external gamma dose. Cohort follow-up period: 1992–2021. The cohort size at the beginning of the follow-up was 59 290 people. The study participants were divided into two groups according to external gamma dose: up to 150 mGy – 34602 individuals, 150 mGy and more – 24 688 individuals. For all possible combinations of diagnoses, relative radiation risk was calculated as a measure of the association of exposure with diseases. The relative radiation risk was considered statistically significant if the left border of the one-sided 95 % confidence interval was greater than 1. Statistical analyses were performed using the R programming language for statistical computing and the R arules package. Results: During 30 years of follow-up, multimorbidity was noted in 62 % of individuals. The most common combinations of chronic diseases were combinations of cardiovascular diseases with digestive diseases (23 % of the original cohort), with lower respiratory diseases (22 %) and with musculoskeletal diseases (18 %). A combination of all four diagnosis groups was identified in 5 % of individuals. Nineteen multimorbid combinations with statistically significant relative radiation risk in the range (1.07–1.23) were identified. Conclusions: No effect of radiation exposure on the number of individuals with multimorbidity was found, but in the studied cohort there are individuals with cardiovascular diseases, endocrine diseases, oncology and combinations of these groups of diagnoses with diseases of other body systems may be caused by radiation exposure. The statistically significant relative radiation risk for combinations of diagnoses is, in general, greater than for the individual diseases that make up these combinations.

ОЦЕНКА РАДИАЦИОННОГО РИСКА СМЕРТИ ОТ СЕРДЕЧНО-СОСУДИСТЫХ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЙ ЛИКВИДАТОРОВ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ АВАРИИ НА ЧАЭС – РАБОТНИКОВ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЙ АТОМНОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ ПО ДАННЫМ О ДОЗАХ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ВИДОВ ОБЛУЧЕНИЯ

Background: Assessment of the risk of death from circulatory system diseases due to radiation exposure in liquidators of the Chernobyl accident consequences (hereinafter referred to as liquidators) using data on doses of various types of exposure. Material and methods: The work used the information base of the Industry Register of persons exposed to radiation as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (hereinafter referred to as the register), nuclear industry workers. The radiation risk assessment study included men - 12,706 liquidators who had data on external emergency radiation doses when working in the 30 km Chernobyl NPP zone, 1,327 of them had data on occupational radiation doses. Poisson regression was chosen as the statistical model of risk. The study covers the period from 1987 to 2021. During the observation period, the register accumulated 304,023 person/years. The majority of the register in 1986 was made up of men – 84.7 %, women – 15.3 %. Results: When data on doses of different types of radiation are used to calculate doses, different results of excess relative risk are obtained. Only the total radiation dose (occupational, emergency, medical, natural) can provide correct results for calculating the radiation risk of death from radiation-induced diseases. Conclusion: The prospect of research should be considered to be filling the information base of the Industry Register with data on doses of all types of radiation.

Gas6-Axl signal promotes indoor VOCs exposure-induced pulmonary fibrosis via pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells–fibroblasts cross-talk

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as environmental pollutants were associated with respiratory diseases. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) was characterized by an increase of extracellular matrix, leading to deterioration of lung function. The adverse effects on lung and the potential mechanism underlying VOCs induced PF had not been elucidated clearly. In this study, the indoor VOCs exposure mouse model along with an ex vivo biosensor assay was established. Based on scRNA-seq analysis, the adverse effects on lung and potential molecular mechanism were studied. Herein, the results showed that VOCs exposure from indoor decoration contributed to decreased lung function and facilitated pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Then, the whole lung cell atlas after VOCs exposure and the heterogeneity of fibroblasts were revealed. We explored the molecular interactions among various pulmonary cells, suggesting that endothelial cells contributed to fibroblasts activation in response to VOCs exposure. Mechanistically, pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (MPVECs) secreted Gas6 after VOCs-induced PANoptosis phenotype, bound to the Axl in fibroblasts, and then activated fibroblasts. Moreover, Atf3 as the key gene negatively regulated PANoptosis phenotype to ameliorate fibrosis induced by VOCs exposure. These novel findings provided a new perspective about MPVECs could serve as the initiating factor of PF induced by VOCs exposure.

Knowledge-guided generative artificial intelligence for automated taxonomy learning from drug labels.

To automatically construct a drug indication taxonomy from drug labels using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) represented by the Large Language Model (LLM) GPT-4 and real-world evidence (RWE). We extracted indication terms from 46421 free-text drug labels using GPT-4, iteratively and recursively generated indication concepts and inferred indication concept-to-concept and concept-to-term subsumption relations by integrating GPT-4 with RWE, and created a drug indication taxonomy. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations involving domain experts were performed for cardiovascular (CVD), Endocrine, and Genitourinary system diseases. 2909 drug indication terms were extracted and assigned into 24 high-level indication categories (ie, initially generated concepts), each of which was expanded into a sub-taxonomy. For example, the CVD sub-taxonomy contains 242 concepts, spanning a depth of 11, with 170 being leaf nodes. It collectively covers a total of 234 indication terms associated with 189 distinct drugs. The accuracies of GPT-4 on determining the drug indication hierarchy exceeded 0.7 with "good to very good" inter-rater reliability. However, the accuracies of the concept-to-term subsumption relation checking varied greatly, with "fair to moderate" reliability. We successfully used generative AI and RWE to create a taxonomy, with drug indications adequately consistent with domain expert expectations. We show that LLMs are good at deriving their own concept hierarchies but still fall short in determining the subsumption relations between concepts and terms in unregulated language from free-text drug labels, which is the same hard task for human experts.

Prevalence of signs of professional burnout among medical workers involved in providing medical care for circulatory system diseases

BACKGROUND: Among 13 thousand doctors interviewed in 2021, 42% displayed signs of professional burnout. This phenomenon negatively affects the frequency of repeated hospitalizations, the number of adverse events, and increased employee turnover. However, studies concerning burnout in doctors are rare and do not focus on specialists who provide medical care for patients with circulatory system diseases (CSD). AIM: was to assess the level of burnout in medical workers involved in the provision of medical care for patients with CSD and to explore staff perceptions of its prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sociological survey (based on the standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire) was conducted among medical personnel (women represented the majority of the sample — 76%, men — 24%). The sample is represented by doctors (n=89), nursing staff and auxillary nurses (NSAN) (n=128). The mean age for the whole group of respondents was 40.7±0.7, professional experience lasted 12.0±0.6 years. Standard methods of descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. The age characteristics of the group had no significant differences by professional categories. Doctors had 39.0±1.2 years (min — 24, max — 63), NSAN had 41.0±0.6 years (min — 19, max — 67). Professional experience lasted differed doctors 39.0±1.2 years, in NSAN — 12.3±0.8. Men were characterized by a mean age of 36.7±1.6 years and professional experience lasted 10.0±1.2 years and women 42.0±0.7 years and 12.6±0.7 years, respectively. The character of distribution of quantitative data in the presented study was analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk criterion. RESULTS: 80.2% of respondents presented with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (RPA), 53.4% — a moderate average level of depersonalization. The emotional exhaustion was similar in all respondents, although average level of emotional exhaustion was the most prevalent (39.6%). 43.8% of doctors had an average level of emotional exhaustion, which is higher compared with NSAN — 37.5%. Clinical and paraclinical units are associated with a medium level of emotional exhaustion and a high RPA. At the same time, paraclinical units are characterized by a medium level of depersonalization, in contrast to clinical units, which are found to have a high level of this factor. According to the respondents, possible measures to prevent emotional burnout should include a set of measures including, rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among the staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (support system for medical decisions, etc.). CONCLUSION: Working as medical staff and providing medical care for patients with CSD is strongly associated with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (80.2% of respondents). Proper measures for the prevention of emotional burnout should primarily include organizational solutions focused on optimizing internal processes in medical staff’ work. According to the respondents, among the measures aimed at the prevention of emotional burnout, the most demanded may be: rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (medical decision support system, etc.).

Influence of medical-social and socio-economic factors on infant mortality rate in the Republic of Ingushetia

BACKGROUND: The infant mortality rate, as one of the indicators of the health and quality of life of the population, is an important factor that determines the country’s healthcare priorities. Despite the steadily decreasing infant mortality rates in the Russian Federation, the value of this indicator varies by region; thus, studying the factors influencing its value is relevant. If the leading medical, social, and socioeconomic factors that influence the level of infant mortality could be determined using data from a representative region (Republic of Ingushetia), the main directions for organizing measures aimed at reducing mortality among children in the first year of life will be identified. AIM: To determine the main medical, social and socio-economic factors that influence the infant mortality rate in the Republic of Ingushetia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational single-center retrospective study was performed to examine the influence of medical, social, and socioeconomic factors on the mortality rate of children aged 1 year in the Republic of Ingushetia. The obtained data were compared with similar indicators for the Russian Federation as a whole and the North Caucasus Federal District. RESULTS: During the study period (2011–2019), significant changes were observed in infant mortality rates in the Republic of Ingushetia: infant mortality has decreased because of the age components, leading to the normal ratio of neonatal and post neonatal mortality. Rates of infant mortality from certain conditions arising in the perinatal period, congenital anomalies, and nervous system and circulatory system diseases have significantly decreased. The proportion of women admitted under the supervision of antenatal clinics in the early pregnancy (up to 12 weeks) has increased, the incidence of morbidity among pregnant women has decreased, and the proportion of normal births has been increasing. Although many medical organizations have employed a sufficient number of medical personnel, the coverage for biochemical screening has decreased, detection of malformations and biochemical abnormalities during prenatal diagnostics was low, medical personnel have low qualifications, and the shortage of obstetric and pediatric beds and pathology beds for newborns and premature infants was significant. A statistically significant dependence of the frequency of deaths of children aged 1 year on socioeconomic indicators−unemployment level, monetary income of the population, and housing conditions−was revealed. CONCLUSION: The main medical, social, and socioeconomic factors that influence infant mortality were analyzed using data from the Republic of Ingushetia. Positive and negative trends in the current state of the healthcare system of this republic have been identified.

Assessment of polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications, and drug-drug interactions in older patients with cancer.

This study aimed to determine polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications, and potential drug-drug interactions in elderly patients hospitalized in the oncology services of a university hospital in Turkey. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2021 and September 2022 on cancer patients over 65 years old hospitalized at Suleyman Demirel University Medical Faculty Hospital in Isparta, Turkey. Potentially inappropriate medications were defined according to the 2023 Beers Criteria of the American Geriatrics Society. Potential drug-drug interactions were determined with Medscape® drug interaction checker. The median (min-max) of drugs used by the patients was 6 (2-15). Most of the patients (74.3%) had polypharmacy. Approximately half of the patients (51.4%) had potentially inappropriate medications. The most commonly used potentially inappropriate medications were diuretics (22.1%), metoclopramide (11.4%), antidepressant drugs (7.9%), and opioids (6.4%). The presence of comorbidities, mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders, circulatory system diseases, and respiratory system diseases were found to be statistically significantly higher in the group with potentially inappropriate medication than in the group without potentially inappropriate medication (p < 0.05). In total, 98 patients (70%) had at least one potential drug-drug interaction. Potential drug-drug interactions were minor in 33.3%, major in 57.5%, serious in 7.74%, and contraindicated in 0.22. According to our study, polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications, and potential drug-drug interactions were high in elderly cancer patients. It is important to determine potential drug-drug interactions and potentially inappropriate medications in cancer patients by a multidisciplinary team, including the clinical pharmacist, to prevent possible negative consequences.

Diosmetin as a promising natural therapeutic agent: In vivo, in vitro mechanisms, and clinical studies.

Diosmetin, a natural occurring flavonoid, is primarily found in citrus fruits, beans, and other plants. Diosmetin demonstrates a variety of pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, metabolic regulation, cardiovascular function improvement, estrogenic effects, and others. The process of literature search was done using PubMed, Web of Science and ClinicalTrials databases with search terms containing Diosmetin, content, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics, in vivo, and in vitro. The aim of this review is to summarize the in vivo, in vitro and clinical studies of Diosmetin over the last decade, focusing on studies related to its anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. It is found that DIO has significant therapeutic effects on skin and cardiovascular system diseases, and its research in pharmacokinetics and toxicology is summarized. It provides the latest information for researchers and points out the limitations of current research and areas that should be strengthened in future research, so as to facilitate the relevant scientific research and clinical application of DIO.

The analysis of disease spectrum of traditional Chinese medicine of outpatient visitor to the contracted family doctor in Shenzhen community health centers

BackgroundThe development plan of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been integrated into the national development strategy, with a focus on significantly enhancing the TCM service capabilities of primary care facilities. However, researches on the disease spectrum of TCM diagnosis and treatment in community health centers is lacking. ObjectiveTo understand the TCM diagnosis and treatment capabilities of Shenzhen's community health centers by analyzing the disease spectrum of TCM diagnosis and treatment among outpatients signed with family doctors at these centers. MethodsFrom May to June 2022, records of family doctor-signed residents who visited the outpatient departments of community health centers in 10 districts of Shenzhen from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021, and incurred diagnosis and treatment costs were extracted from the “Hangchuang Community Health Service Center Business System,” a unified information platform of the Shenzhen Health Commission. Records for which TCM was the purpose for the visit, which had corresponding diagnosis and treatment costs, as well as a primary diagnosis coded according to the “Classification and codes of diseases and patterns of traditional Chinese medicine” (TCD) were included in the study (n=385,138). The disease spectrum was analyzed based on the TCD, mainly involving specialty category, sub-specialty system classification and TCM term of disease and pattern. ResultsAmong the 385,138 records included, there were 170,077 male visits (44.16 %) with an average age of 37.5 ± 8.2 years; and 215,061 female visits (55.84 %), with an average age of 36.7 ± 9.4 years. The disease spectrum covered all seven specialty categories of TCD: internal medicine (219,445, 56.98 %), pediatrics (79,201, 20.56 %), otorhinolaryngology (47,965, 12.45 %), gynecology (30,620, 7.95 %), surgery (5,797, 1.51 %), orthopedics (1,407, 0.37 %), and ophthalmology (703, 0.18 %). The spectrum covered all sub-specialty system classifications under the seven specialty categories except for tumor diseases, cancer diseases in each specialty category, and certain eye disease classes such as diseases of the canthus, diseases of the cornea, pupil diseases, and traumatic eye diseases. In each specialty category, several diseases accounted for ≥90.00 % of the total diagnostic and treatment volume for that specialty category. The top five system diseases were respiratory system diseases (208,701, 54.19 %), musculoskeletal system diseases (73,369, 19.05 %), gynecological system diseases (30,620, 7.95 %), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system diseases (27,539, 7.15 %), and digestive system diseases (19,162, 4.98 %). Patients under 15 and those aged 15 to 24 primarily had diseases related to the respiratory system and digestive systems. As age increased, the number of patients with paralysis, dizziness, headache, insomnia, and fatigue gradually increased; before the age of 45, the leading disease was the common cold, and after 45, it was muscle and joint pain caused by paralysis. ConclusionThe TCM diagnosis and treatment disease spectrum at Shenzhen's community health centers is broad but concentrated and singular, predominantly involving internal medicine. The disease spectrum is mainly concentrated in five major systems: respiratory, musculoskeletal, gynecological, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and digestive systems. There is a need to further enhance and expand the TCM diagnosis and treatment capabilities of community health centers to better meet the diverse health needs of residents.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Twelve Groups of Related Diseases-Current State of Knowledge.

The human gut microbiota creates a complex microbial ecosystem, characterized by its high population density, wide diversity, and complex interactions. Any imbalance of the intestinal microbiome, whether qualitative or quantitative, may have serious consequences for human health, including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO is defined as an increase in the number of bacteria (103-105 CFU/mL), an alteration in the bacterial composition, or both in the small intestine. The PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Medline databases were searched for studies on SIBO and related diseases. These diseases were divided into 12 groups: (1) gastrointestinal disorders; (2) autoimmune disease; (3) cardiovascular system disease; (4) metabolic disease; (5) endocrine disorders; (6) nephrological disorders; (7) dermatological diseases; (8) neurological diseases (9); developmental disorders; (10) mental disorders; (11) genetic diseases; and (12) gastrointestinal cancer. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to present the current state of knowledge on the relationships between SIBO and these 12 disease groups, taking into account risk factors and the causal context. This review fills the evidence gap on SIBO and presents a biological-medical approach to the problem, clearly showing the groups and diseases having a proven relationship with SIBO, as well as indicating groups within which research should continue to be expanded.