End Of Week Research Articles

Sanghuangporus vaninii extract ameliorates hyperlipidemia in rats by mechanisms identified with transcriptome analysis.

The increasing incidence of hyperlipidemia is a serious threat to public health. The development of effective and safe lipid-lowering drugs with few side effects is necessary. The purpose of this study was to assess the lipid-lowering activity of Sanghuangporus vaninii extract (SVE) in rat experiments and reveal the molecular mechanism by transcriptome analysis. Hyperlipidemia was induced in the animals using a high-fat diet for 4 weeks. At the end of the 4th week, hyperlipidemic rats were assigned into two control groups (model and positive simvastatin control) and three treatment groups that received SVE at 200, 400, or 800 mg kg-1 day-1 for another 4 weeks. A last control group comprised normal chow-fed rats. At the end of the 8th week, rats were sacrificed and lipid serum levels, histopathology, and liver transcriptome profiles were determined. SVE was demonstrated to relieve the lipid disorder and improve histopathological liver changes in a dose-dependent manner. The transcriptomic analysis identified changes in hepatocyte gene activity for major pathways including steroid biosynthesis, bile secretion, cholesterol metabolism, AMPK signaling, thyroid hormone signaling, and glucagon signaling. The changed expression of crucial genes in the different groups was confirmed by qPCR. Collectively, this study revealed that SVE could relieve hyperlipidemia in rats, the molecular mechanism might be to promote the metabolism of lipids and the excretion of cholesterol, inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol by activating the AMPK signaling pathway, the thyroid hormone signaling pathway, and the glucagon signaling pathway.

Amikacin once every other day versus Daily Meropenem for Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection with Escherichia Coli

Background and Aim: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common medical challenge, especially in the light of increased antibiotic resistance. This work aimed to compare between amikacin (3 doses, once each other day) with a daily dose of meropenem (once daily for seven days) for the treatment of urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia Coli. 
 Patients and Methods: 70 patients with confirmed UTI infection by E. Coli were included and divided for two groups. The first was treated by amikacin 15mg/kg once every 48 hours for seven days. The second group was treated by meropenem 1 g three times daily for one week. Then, urinary culture and sensitivity was re-performed and tested against the commonest panel of antibiotics. The clinical manifestations were documented before treatment and one week after treatment.
 Results: There was no significant difference between groups regarding patient demographics or manifestations of UTI. 54.3% in amikacin and 65.7% in meropenem groups reported previous UTI. The clinical manifestations of UTI include dysuria, frequent urination, flank pain, abdominal pain, fever and suprapubic pain. The treatment was associated with eradication of E. Coli in 60.0% and 54.3% in Amikacin and meropenem respectively, with no significant differences between groups at the end of the first week and at that time, the most sensitive drugs were nitrofurantoin (34.3%) followed by meropenem (22.9%) and amikacin (18.6%). However, the highest resistance was registered for cefepime and cefotaxime (41.4%) followed by ceftazidime-clavulanic acid (40.0%). Clinical manifestations of UTI were significantly reduced in both groups one week after treatment with no significant differences between groups.
 Conclusion: Amikacin could be considered as is an effective and safe alternative to meropenem for treatment of UTI due to E. Coli.

Effect of pH and Light Intensity on the Growth of Dunaliella Salina


 
 
 Dunaliella salina is a unicellular halophilic green alga dominantly found in salt lakes, and high saline ponds in slatterns all over the world. A rigid cell wall is absent in D. salina while the cells are covered by mucous materials that are enclosed by a thin elastic plasma membrane. This species has both environmental and economic validity as they are capable of producing β–carotene during photosynthesis. Synthesis of β–carotene in D. salina is a function of environmental factors, and thus, the present study was designed to study the effect of pH of the medium and light intensity on the growth of D. salina. The Algae sample was collected from a crystalizing pond of Hambantota Saltern, Sri Lanka, and a monoculture was maintained under suitable laboratory conditions. The seawater sample with pH 7.66 was used to prepare a series of pH using sodium carbonate anhydrous. These cultures were exposed to a series of pH (7.66, 8.0, 8.50, and 9.0) at two light intensities (885 lux and 200 lux). All experimental setups were maintained at 25oC with the photoperiod of 12h light and 12h dark. Four replicates of each pH medium were arranged into a 4×4 setup of flasks for each light intensity and the experiment was conducted for four weeks. At the end of the fourth week, the pH level of all flasks ranged from 8.27 to 8.53 due to the self-adjustment of the pH level in the culture medium in parallel to algal growth. The maximum growth was reflected by the highest absorbance of 1.46 at 750 nm. Taken together, our findings revealed that the optimum pH range and light intensity for culturing D. salina is 8.27-8.53 and 885 lux respectively. This study recommends further research on culturing of D. salina for extracting the bioproduct of β -carotene at various light intensity levels.
 Keywords: Cell density, β –carotene, Light intensity, Self-adjusted
 
 

Suckling piglets submitted to creep feeding management from 5 days-old showed optimal performance and exploratory behaviour

This study aimed to assess the effects of starting creep feeding at different ages on performance, behaviour, haematological, and biochemical parameters in piglets. A total of 138 piglets (1.34 ± 0.25 kg, n = 13 sows), weaned at 21 d-old, were assigned to treatments using a completely randomized design. The litter was divided into two groups: seven litters (n = 80 piglets) were subjected to creep feeding on the fifth day of age (creep 5) and five litters (n = 58 piglets), on the tenth day of age (creep 10). Piglets were weighed at birth, weaning, and after the first week in the nursery. Piglet behaviour was evaluated daily for 15 min until day 20. Blood was collected on day 13, at weaning, and at the end of the first week in the nursery. There was no difference in body weight in the suckling phase, but piglets fed Creep 5 showed greater body weight gain in the first nursery week. The Creep 5 group had lower feed leftovers during the five days of evaluation of feed intake. There were no differences in haematological parameters and amylase concentration; however, the piglets spent more time lying down, sucking, and massaging the udder. On day 8, the piglets in the Creep 5 group showed a higher frequency of exploratory behaviour. In conclusion, piglets fed Creep 5 had optimal performance after weaning and improved feed intake capacity by displaying more exploratory behaviour than Creep 10. Creep management did not alter haematological and biochemical parameters.

Preliminary study of the role of nanobacteria in the formation of renal stones in experimental rats and its mechanism.

The aim of the study was to study the role of nanobacteria in the formation of renal calculi and the underlying mechanism. A total of 90 clean Wistar male rats were randomly divided into a negative control group, an experimental group, and an interference group. From the end of the first week of modelling, 10 consecutive times once a week, 3 rats in each group were randomly selected to measure the biochemical blood markers and urine metabolism. After sacrifice, the formation of kidney stones was assessed by observing the ultrastructure of the kidney by electron microscopy and pathohistology. Finally, the expression of calcium-sensitive receptor (CaSR) and claudin-14 protein in the kidney tissue was examined by western blotting. Compared with the control group, the gross structure of the kidney was changed in the model group. At the fourth week of modelling, the rats in the nanobacteria group had significantly enlarged kidneys and increased kidney-to-body ratio, and the difference had statistical significance (p < 0.05). The colour of the kidney profile was dark, the structure of the skin pulp was less clear, and the accumulation of yellowish particles was observed at the junction of the cortical pulp. The creatinine, uric acid, urea nitrogen, and urinary calcium of the rats in the nanobacteria group began to increase at the third week, and the difference between the third and eighth week had statistical significance (p < 0.05). However, the difference between the 3 groups had no statistical significance after the eighth week. At the fourth week, we observed the formation of calculi, which were mainly distributed in the renal tubules and surrounding tissues. The kidney stone formation rate was 52.4% in the nanobacteria group and 27.8% in the interference group, and the difference had statistical significance (p < 0.05). Ultrastructure observations revealed that from the fourth week, the renal tissues in the nanobacteria group showed expanded renal tubules, swollen renal tubular epithelium, granular degeneration, shedding and lymphocyte infiltration of renal tubular epithelial cells, and a small amount of calcium salt crystals in renal tubules. At the third week, the expression of CaSR and Claudin-14 protein in the nanobacteria group increased, and the difference had statistical significance (p < 0.05). The expression of CaSR and Claudin-14 was positively correlated with urinary calcium (p < 0.05). The formation of renal calculi began in the fourth week after the model was established, and the crystals were mostly located in the renal tubules. During the formation of renal calculi, the renal tubular epithelial cells were damaged, showing granular degeneration and small amounts of calcium salt crystals, accompanied by a few renal tubules beginning to expand and epithelial swelling, granular degeneration, necrosis and shedding of renal tubular epithelial cells, lymphocyte infiltration in the renal interstitium, and small amounts of calcium salt crystals in the renal tubules, which aggravated with time. The serum creatinine, serum uric acid, urea nitrogen, and urinary calcium levels increased with time from the third week and returned to normal after the eighth week. The expression of CaSR and Claudin-14 protein was upregulated and positively correlated with the 24-h urinary calcium excretion value.

Effect of smartphone application on pain, disability and forward head posture on young adults with excessive usage of a smartphone: A pilot study

Background. Excessive usage of smartphones has been linked to forward head posture (FHP) leading to musculoskeletal disorders of the spine. Objective. To determine the effect of smartphone applications on pain and disability levels in the neck, shoulder, lower back and FHP among young adults with excessive smartphone usage. Methods. In this randomised controlled pilot study, 31 young adults (24 female and 7 male, aged 21.35 (standard deviation 1.74 years) who exhibited excessive smartphone usage were enrolled. They were recruited from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos in Nigeria and randomly allocated to three groups: smartphone application (SPA) only, SPA with ergonomic advice (SPA+EA) and EA only. Outcome assessments were conducted before, at 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks of the intervention. Results. The outcome of this study revealed significant improvements in the assessed variables across all three groups (SPA, SPA+EA, EA) post intervention, including FHP (p=0.0001, p=0.003, p=0.002), pain intensity in the neck (p=0.01, p=0.02, p=0.0001), neck disability level (p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001), functional disability (p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.007) and shoulder pain disability (p=0.0001, p=0.001, p= 0.0001). However, no significant between-group differences (p&gt;0.05) were noted in the outcomes across the groups, except for FHP (p=0.027) at the end of the 8th week of intervention. Conclusion. It was concluded that the SPA group was more effective in improving FHP, though all the groups displayed significant effects in all the outcomes.

Low Iodine Nutrition Knowledge in Chinese Breastfeeding Women despite Adequate Iodine Status.

There has been a scarcity of evidence about iodine nutrition knowledge among women during pregnancy and lactation. The aim of this study was to determine women's iodine knowledge and the relationship between knowledge and iodine status during pregnancy and lactation. Women were recruited from a hospital in the western part of China in the third trimester of pregnancy and followed until the end of the first week of lactation. The women's iodine status was measured by their urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and an iodine-specific, validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Iodine nutrition knowledge was assessed using an iodine nutrition knowledge questionnaire. A total of 200 women (mean age of 29.0 ± 4.2 years) completed the whole study. The majority of the women did not consume enough iodine during both pregnancy and lactation (231.89 vs. 237.26 µg/day). The overall mean iodine knowledge scores in our sample of women during pregnancy and lactation were 4.77 and 4.87, indicating low iodine knowledge. The use of iodized salt and a higher education level were significantly associated with an increased iodine knowledge score. In conclusion, this study reported poor iodine nutrition knowledge in women, highlighting a public health concern. Therefore, the iodine knowledge of women should be improved, possibly via maternal health campaigns to avoid the consequences of iodine deficiency disorders in newborns.

Combination of Gold Nanoparticles with Carnitine Attenuates Brain Damage in an Obesity Animal Model.

Obesity causes inflammation in the adipose tissue and can affect the central nervous system, leading to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, it becomes necessary to seek new therapeutic alternatives. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) could take carnitine to the adipose tissue, thus increasing fatty acid oxidation, reducing inflammation, and, consequently, restoring brain homeostasis. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of GNPs associated with carnitine on the neurochemical parameters of obesity-induced mice. Eighty male Swiss mice that received a normal lipid diet (control group) or a high-fat diet (obese group) for 10weeks were used. At the end of the sixth week, the groups were divided for daily treatment with saline, GNPs (70µg/kg), carnitine (500mg/kg), or GNPs associated with carnitine, respectively. Body weight was monitored weekly. At the end of the tenth week, the animals were euthanized and the mesenteric fat removed and weighed; the brain structures were separated for biochemical analysis. It was found that obesity caused oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in brain structures. Treatment with GNPs isolated reduced oxidative stress in the hippocampus. Carnitine isolated decreased the accumulation of mesenteric fat and oxidative stress in the hippocampus. The combination of treatments reduced the accumulation of mesenteric fat and mitochondrial dysfunction in the striatum. Therefore, these treatments in isolation, become a promising option for the treatment of obesity.

A Case Report of Fracture of the Segment of Maxillary Alveolar Process Involving Primary Incisors

ABSTRACT Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) have significant long-term consequences for the oral cavity’s hard and soft tissues. Alveolar process fractures are particularly complicated. This case report describes the management and 12-month follow-up of a segmental maxillary alveolar process fracture involving laterally luxated primary incisors. A case of a 4-year-old boy was reported to the hospital 1 hour after an accidental fall at school, which resulted in a fracture of the maxillary alveolar process. Emergency treatment consisted of fracture reduction and repositioning of the primary incisors, followed by a semirigid splint between maxillary canines. The splints were removed at the end of week 4, and the affected primary incisors remained asymptomatic.

Taurine Regulates the Expression of Interleukin -17/10 and Intestinal Flora and Protects the Liver and Intestinal Mucosa in a Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rat Model.

To investigate the intestinal inflammatory response and the abundance of intestinal bacteria in rats with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and assess the intervention effects of taurine (TAU). Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: group I, normal diet and normal saline gavage; group II, normal diet and TAU gavage; group III, HFD and normal saline gavage; group IV, HFD and TAU gavage (from the 1st week); group V, HFD and TAU gavage (from the 10th week). At the end of the 16th week, all the animals were sacrificed. Body weight, liver weight, liver function, and serum lipid levels were measured. The histopathologies of the liver and ileum were observed. The mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17) and IL-10 in the ileum were detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. Three types of bacteria were detected in intestinal feces using the 16S rDNA qPCR method. The ileal IL-17 level in group III was significantly higher than those in the other four groups (P < 0.01). The ileal IL-10 mRNA levels in group IV was significantly higher than those in groups III and V (P < 0.05), and IL-10 protein MOD levels in group III was significantly lower than those in the other four groups (P < 0.01). The numbers of Lactobacillus in group III were significantly lower than those in the other four groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The numbers of Bifidobacteria in groups IV and V were significantly increased compared with that in group III (P < 0.05). TAU may down-regulate the expression of IL-17, up-regulate the expression of IL-10 and regulate the intestinal flora, and alleviate the liver and intestinal damage in rats with HFD-induced NAFLD.

Aloe vera supplementation improves cardiovascular risk factors in hemodialysis patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

This study assessed the effects of Aloe vera supplementation on serum inflammatory factors, blood sugar and lipid profiles in hemodialysis patients. Totally, 50 hemodialysis patients were allocated randomly to either Aloe vera or placebo groups. The Aloe vera group received 2 Aloe vera capsules daily for 8 weeks (500 mg/day). Serum C-reactive protein (hs- CRP), Fasting blood glucose (FBS), and lipid profiles levels were evaluated at the baseline and the end of the eighth week. Aloe vera supplementation for 8 weeks was associated with a significant reduction of serum hs- CRP (p=0.004), total cholesterol (p=0.01), low density lipoprotein (LDL) (p=0.02) leves and increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) (p=0.002) concentration in the hemodialysis patients. Aloe vera supplementation is beneficial in improvement of cardiovascular risk factors in hemodialysis patients.

Comparative evaluation of the serum biochemical and lipid profile changes in spayed male and female rats

Background and aims: This study investigated the effects of gonadal removal in male and female rats on changes in serum biochemical parameters. Methods: Twenty-eight adult male and female rats were divided into four groups of 7 animals for a period of 9 weeks. The first and second groups of intact male and female rats, as well as the third and fourth groups of male and female rats, were gonadectomized, respectively. At the end of the ninth week of the study, the rats were anesthetized with chloroform, and the amount of glucose, some lipid parameters in serum, and the activity of a number of serum enzymes were measured after taking blood from the heart. Results: Alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were higher in intact male rats than in intact female rats, respectively (P=0.03, P=0.015). The amounts of glucose and cholesterol of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in intact female rats were higher than in the ovariectomized rats, respectively (P=0.07, P=0.039, P=0.03). The amount of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in spayed female rats demonstrated a significant increase compared to other groups (P=0.001). However, there was a significant decrease in calcium levels in gonadectomized rat groups in comparison to intact female rats (P=0.02). Finally, a significant increase was found in phosphorous levels in the intact male rats group compared to other groups (P=0.002). Conclusion: Decreased sex hormones in gonadectomized rats compared with intact rats could lead to increased serum levels of LDH, ALP, and LDL cholesterol that may result in the development of metabolic and atherogenesis syndromes and acute liver failure.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar in Type-2 Diabetic Rat Model

Introduction: Type-2 diabetes mellitus, a major public health problem, is caused by insulin resistance. In diabetics, chronic hyperglycemia results in formation of reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress in diabetic patients is responsible for hepatic damage because it causes activation of several pro-inflammatory mediators in liver. Hepatic complications of diabetes include fatty liver disease, necrosis, cirrhosis, carcinoma and liver failure. Aims &amp; Objectives: To determine and compare the hepatoprotective effect of extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar in streptozotocin induced Type-2 diabetic rat model. Place and Duration of Study: This experimental study was conducted at Animal House of Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan from May 2021 to June 2021. Material &amp; Methods: In this study, 40 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups i.e., Group I was NC (negative control), Group II PC (positive control), Group III EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil) and Group IV (Apple cider vinegar), each group having 10 rats. Diabetes was induced in all rats except the rats of NC group at the start of the study by intraperitoneal administration of injection nicotinamide, followed by injection STZ after 15 minutes. Group III was given 1ml/100gBW/ day EVOO and Group IV was given 2ml/kgBW/day diluted ACV with distilled water in 1:5 orally for 4 weeks. Terminal sampling was performed at the end of the 4th week for estimation of liver enzymes (ALT, ALP and AST) in serum. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version 26. p value of ? 0.05 was considered significant. Results: On comparison with PC group, both the treatment groups showed significant decrease in serum ALT levels with p values 0.026 for EVOO and &lt; 0.001 for ACV. Serum ALP levels were also decreased significantly in both the treated groups with p value &lt; 0.001 for EVOO as well as for the ACV group. However, reduction in serum AST levels was nonsignificant with p values 0.082 and 0.058 in EVOO and ACV groups respectively. Conclusion: Both EVOO and ACV have hepatoprotective effect in Type-2 diabetic rats. However, ACV is more effective.

Acacia auriculiformis leaves’ powder as an alternative for antibiotics uses in broilers organic farming

The experiment tested Acacia auriculiformis leaves’ powder actions on broilers’ growing performance and their blood plasma lipid profile. So, an experiment with 150-day-old broiler chicks was set. At the end of week 3, all the broilers were weighed, and 10 homogenous groups of 12 chicks each were constituted, within whose 5 groups per gender. Also, Acacia auriculiformis (Aa) leaves were collected, dried during 2 weeks in laboratory rooms, and were powdered with a blender. Then, in addition to a control diet, 4 diets were made by incorporating 0.75%, 1.5%, 2.25% and 3%Aa leaves’ powder. So, the diets were 0%Aa, 0.75%Aa, 1.5%Aa, 2.25%Aa, and 3%Aa, respectively. Randomly, each broilers’ group was fed on a diet for 7 weeks and the birds were weekly weighed. At the end of week 10, 3 broilers of similar weights were slaughtered per group. Their blood was collected in 2 types of tubes, for blood cells count, and blood plasma lipid analysis. As a result, white blood cell (WBC) counts were 22.80, 21.52, 20.28 and 18.11*103/µL, with diets 0%Aa, 2.25%Aa, 1.5%Aa, and 3%Aa, respectively. Thus, this WBC count decrease confers an antibiotic action to Aa leaves powder. Following, HDL cholesterol content increased from 31.62 for diet 0%Aa to 37.80 mg/dL for diet 1.5%Aa (+6.18 mg/dL, p&lt;0.001). Simultaneously, with 1.5%Aa, triglyceride content was the smallest for 21.03 mg/dL (p&lt;0.001), and protein content was the highest for 4.01 g/dL. In conclusion, at 1.5% in the diet, Acacia auriculiformis leaves’ powder may be very beneficial to broilers’ organic rearing.

Examining the Effect of Contactless Intergenerational Befriending Intervention on Social Isolation Among Older Adults and Students' Attitude Toward Companionship: Content Analysis.

Intergenerational friendship, a mechanism of social support, is an effective intervention to reduce the increasing risk of social isolation (SI) and develop companionship in the older adult population. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to examine the psychosocial intervention of befriending via technology use as a primary form of contactless socialization. The study aims to explore the effectiveness of the befriending intervention through a contactless, intergenerational service-learning project on older adult emotions, especially boredom and loneliness as the key attributes of SI, and on students' attitude toward companionship. During the months of January to April 2022 , undergraduate students enrolled in a health administration course with a special focus on culture were asked to be involved in a contactless, intergenerational service-learning project (n=46). In this study, contactless intervention meant communication using the telephone and apps such as FaceTime and Zoom. Students were paired with older adults to have at least a 30-minute weekly conversation, for 8 weeks, via telephone or an internet-based app such as FaceTime. Students were asked to write a half-page diary after each interaction and a 1-page reflection at the end of the fourth week and at the end of the service-learning project. At the completion of the project, the researchers also surveyed the older adults to assess the impact of the project using a 5-item open-ended questionnaire. Following a heuristic approach and content analysis, student artifacts (110,970 words; 118-page, single-spaced Microsoft Word document) and the older adult surveys were analyzed using MAXQDA, (VERBI GmbH). Qualitative data were extracted to assess the impact of service learning on SI by measuring the attributes of boredom and loneliness among 46 older adults. Students' attitudes toward companionship were also assessed using data from their diaries and reflections. Overall, three major constructs were identified: (1) meaningful engagement, defined as feeling safe, having increased confidence, and having reduced boredom; (2) internal motivation to participate in the weekly interaction, defined as discussion about daily life experience, level of happiness, and ability to exert personal control over the situation; and (3) intergenerational befriending, defined as perceived benefits from the friendly nature of the interaction, ability to comfortably connect with students, and positive feeling and attitude toward the student. The contactless, intergenerational befriending intervention reduced boredom and loneliness among older adults and enhanced positive attitude and confidence among university students. Students helped older adults to develop digital skills for the use of apps and social media. Older adults showed interest in the intervention and shared their daily life experiences with the students, which helped to reduce the gap between generations. Findings indicate the effectiveness of an intergenerational service-learning intervention on SI reduction and increased positive attitude among college students.

ANALYSIS OF COST AND TIME FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE MAINTENANCE PROJECT OF THE KARETAN – SAMBIMULYO ROAD IN BANYUWANGI REGENCY

Along with technological developments in the field of project work implementation, it must also be accompanied by developments in the field of Management as a control function in the implementation of the project. In this case, the application of the Earned Value Concept Method is expected to be able to provide an alternative solution to the problem of evaluating the cost and time that has been spent on project implementation. The purpose of this research is to evaluate a project work that is being done, namely in the form of Maintenance of KaretanSambimulyo Road, Banyuwangi Regency against Project Time and Cost Control, so that it can be used as a reference material by the project implementer and the employer in terms of decision making whether the project is feasible to complete or not. The research was conducted at the end of week 21 (twenty-one), with different evaluation results, thus it can be concluded with the following description: a. Based on Cost Variance (CV) &amp; Schedule Variance (SV) analysis results obtained: Work is carried out later than the schedule plan, costs are lower than the budget plan; b. Based on Cost Performance Index (CPI) &amp; Schedule Performance Index (SPI): Profit but experiencing delays; c. Based on Estimation to Complete (ETC) &amp; Estimation at Completion (EAC): Obtaining a profit of Rp. 263,004,000, 00-,; d. Based on Estimate Temporary Cost (ETC) &amp; Estimate All Cost (EAS): Experienced a Time Delay of 2.09 Weeks

P1040 Comparative effectiveness of upadacitinib versus ustekinumab in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease: a matching-adjusted indirect comparison

Abstract Background Upadacitinib (UPA), an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, and ustekinumab (UST), a parenteral IL 12/23 antagonist, are effective treatments for moderately to severely active Crohn’s Disease (CD). In the absence of head-to-head data, a placebo (PBO)-anchored matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) was conducted to indirectly compare efficacy of UPA vs UST. Methods Individual patient (pt)-level data from phase 3 UPA trials and published data from phase 3 UST trials were used. For induction, pts received UPA 45mg daily or PBO for 12 weeks or UST ~6mg/kg IV or PBO IV at week 0 with 8-week follow-up. For maintenance, UPA clinical responders were re-randomized to UPA 15mg, 30mg, or PBO daily for 52 weeks. UST clinical responders were re-randomized to 90mg SC (every 8 or 12 weeks) or PBO SC for 44 weeks. UPA pts had baseline (BL) CD Activity Index (CDAI) 220-450; those with prior UST or vedolizumab exposure were excluded. Treatment effect modifiers, including BL mean CDAI, Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES-CD), median C-reactive protein, prior biologic(s) failure, and disease location, from UPA data were weighted to match the UST population. Outcomes assessed were CDAI response (≥100-point decrease or CDAI &amp;lt;150), CDAI remission (CDAI &amp;lt;150), endoscopic response (SES-CD ≥50% decrease), and SES-CD ≤2. Separate MAICs were conducted for induction and maintenance; data reported for induction clinical outcomes are stratified by prior inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR). Results A greater proportion of UPA- vs UST-treated pts achieved endoscopic response (difference 26.3%, P&amp;lt;0.001) and SES-CD ≤2 (difference 9.9%, P&amp;lt;0.05) at the end of induction. In TNF-IR patients, a greater proportion of UPA- vs UST-treated pts achieved CDAI response at the end of induction (difference 18.2%, P&amp;lt;0.05) and at the end of Week 8 (difference 26.0%, P&amp;lt;0.001). CDAI remission rates were also higher at end of Week 8 for UPA- vs UST-treated pts (difference 13.3%, P&amp;lt;0.05). Rates of achieving CDAI response and remission were similar between UPA- and UST-treated pts at the end of induction and Week 8 among bio-naïve pts. Following maintenance treatment, similar rates of SES-CD ≤2, endoscopic response, and CDAI remission were obtained in the total population of UPA and UST-treated pts. Conclusion Pts with moderately to severely active CD treated with UPA achieved higher rates of endoscopic (total population) and clinical (TNFi-IR population) outcomes during induction compared to UST-treated pts. Outcomes at the end of maintenance were similar for UPA and UST, however, results should be interpreted with caution due to low sample size.

The Effects of Systemic Vitamin D Level on the Healing of Different Graft Materials: An Experimental Histological Study

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of serum vitamin D levels on the healing of different bone graft materials. Thirty-six male rats were divided into three groups and fed special feeds containing different amounts of vitamin D for 6 weeks before the surgical phase: the high serum vitamin D level group (group H) 10,000 iu/kg vitamin D3; the standard serum vitamin D level group (group C) 1000 iu/kg D3; and the low-level vitamin D group (group L) 100 iu/kg vitamin D3. Under general anesthesia, four defects with a diameter of 5 mm were created in the calvaria of the rats. The defects were augmented with autogenous grafts, allografts, xenografts, or left empty. The serum vitamin D level was measured before the surgery and before sacrifice. At the end of the 6th week, the subjects were sacrificed, and histological and histomorphometric analyses were performed. Study results show that in all graft types, as vitamin D levels increase, the number of new bone formations increases. There was no significant difference between the graft materials in terms of new bone formation criteria in group L. In group H and group C, the highest new bone formation was seen in the allograft group (1.48 ± 0.07, 0.66 ± 0.19, respectively). Prospective randomized clinical studies are required to evaluate the effect of vitamin D dose on the success of augmentation procedures in the clinic.

Evaluation of effectiveness of Letrozole in treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine and metabolic disease, characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligomenorrhea, and polycystic ovaries. PCOS is one of the most causes that affect the women of childbearing age, and often leads to infertility. Various managements were proposed for infertile women with PCOS. However, the optimal management option has not been addressed satisfied. Although multiple treatments including weight reduction, clomiphene citrate, metformin, gonadotropins, and ovary cauterization have been reported to treat such condition, the efficacy still has insufficient evidence to support. Objectives: Purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Letrozole in treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Materials &amp; method: This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of letrozole and on pregnancy outcomes including the ovulation induction, pregnancy rate, and endometrial thickness in infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Total 106 infertile PCOS patients were recruited and allocated in two groups, Group-L (received letrozole at 2.5 mg twice daily on the 3rd–5th days of menstrual cycle for 5 consecutive days), Group-G 75 U/d−1 gonadotropin through intramuscular injection for 5 days starting from the third day of menstrual cycle). All patient in both arm completed treatment and follow-up. Patients in both groups were treated up to 5 treatment cycles. During follow up, transvaginalultrasonogram (TVS) was performed to see the details of the follicles and the endometrium. Data was processed and analysed with the help of computer program SPSS and Microsoft excel. Quantitative data expressed as mean and standard deviation and qualitative data as frequency and percentage. Comparison was done by tabulation and graphical presentation in the form of tables, pie chart, graphs, bar diagrams, histogram &amp; charts etc. Result: Mean age of the patient was 26.3 ± 5.7 years in group-L and 25.9 ± 6.1 years in group-G. There were no statistical significant differences between the 2 groups regarding age, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI). Present study results showed that patients who received letrozole exert better outcomes in primary endpoint, including ovulation rate (86.7% in group-L &amp; 62.2% in group-G, P =0.004), endometrial thickness (9.3 ± 1.1 mm in group-L &amp; 8.5 ± 1.1 mm in group-G, P = 0.003) and pregnancy rate (64.1% in group-L &amp; 30.1% in group-G, P =0.005). Abortion rate (till the end of 12th week) and multiple pregnancy rate were higher in group-G, but result were non-significant in between groups. Live birth rate in the letrozole group was higher 29(54.7%) than group-G 14(26.4%), the difference was statistically significant (P &lt; .05). Conclusion: Patients who took Letrozole had significantly higher endometrial thickness than other group. Due to the higher pregnancy rate and lower incidence of abortion or multiple pregnancy, letrozole can be an effective for the treatment of anovulatory subfertility of the PCOS patients. Central Medical College Journal Vol 7 No 1 January 2023 Page: 13-19

ANALYSIS OF COST AND TIME PERFORMANCE IN THE WADUNGASRI MARKET CHANNEL NORMALIZATION WORK IN SIDOARJO USING THE EARNED VALUE METHOD

The construction project management for Wadungasri Sidoarjo Market Drainage Normalization aims to achieve cost, quality, and time objectives within a 100-day timeframe. This study addresses a 7.44% delay experienced by contractors, seeking to establish early warning mechanisms for poor project performance. The Earned Value Method is employed, integrating time and cost value concepts. Key indicators such as Cost Variance (CV), Schedule Variance (SV), work productivity index (CPI), time productivity index (SPI), project completion cost forecast (EAC), and project completion schedule forecast (ECD) are utilized. The results reveal a required cost of Rp 563,044,547.85 (ETC) and a 65-day timeframe (ETS) at the end of the 7th week, with a 0.64% increase in project completion cost (EAC) over the contract cost. The project completion time (EAS) is estimated at 114 days, reflecting a 0.14% extension. The analysis emphasizes the importance for construction service providers to implement efficient methods and consistent supervision to avoid delays in the Wadungasri Sidoarjo Market Drainage Normalization project.