Half Months Research Articles

Erythrocyte PIG-A mutant frequencies in cancer patients receiving cisplatin.

Cisplatin is a primary chemotherapy choice for various solid tumors. DNA damage caused by cisplatin results in apoptosis of tumor cells. Cisplatin-induced DNA damage, however, may also result in mutations in normal cells and the initiation of secondary malignancies. In the current study, we have used the erythrocyte PIG-A assay to evaluate mutagenesis in non-tumor hematopoietic tissue of cancer patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy. Twenty-one head and neck cancer patients undergoing treatment with cisplatin were monitored for the presence of PIG-A mutant total erythrocytes and the young erythrocytes, reticulocytes (RETs), in peripheral blood for up to five and a half months from the initiation of the anti-neoplastic chemotherapy. PIG-A mutant frequency (MF) in RETs increased at least two-fold in 15 patients at some point of the monitoring, while the frequency of total mutant RBCs increased at least two-fold in 6 patients. A general trend for an increase in the frequency of mutant RETs and total mutant RBCs was observed in 19 and 18 patients, respectively. Only in one patient did both RET and total RBC PIG-A MFs did not increase at any time-point over the monitoring period. Cisplatin chemotherapy induces moderate increases in the frequency of PIG-A mutant erythrocytes in head and neck cancer patients. Mutagenicity measured with the flow cytometric PIG-A assay may serve as a tool for predicting adverse outcomes of genotoxic antineoplastic therapy.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the incidence of acute coronary syndromes at General Hospital of Veroia

Background: Although deaths from Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) are the most prevalent globally, during the outbreak of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, there was a declining trend in hospital admissions for ACS patients. Inevitably a reduction of invasive procedures in cardiac catheterization laboratories was observed. Moreover, an increase in sudden out-of-hospital cardiac deaths was recorded. On the other hand, patients that eventually treated in the hospital had a much worse outcome in terms of cardiac function. Inadequate treatment of acute myocardial infarction resulted in a further increase in mortality due to coronary artery disease. The aim of our study was the comparison of admissions of the patients with ACS before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective single center study was conducted. We recorded all admissions with ACS underwent invasive interventions during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, in Greece, from 16 March 2020 to 1 May 2020 (study period A), as well as in the period of gradual withdraw of restrictions from 2 May 2020 to 1 June 2020 (study period B),. The data were compared with those of the periods of 2019 (control period A and B). Results: One hundred thirty eight patients were the group of study period and 158 were the group of the control period. The reduction rate was 12.7% in study period. The largest decrease in admissions concerned with elderly patients over 75 years old, as well as females (by 52% - 53% respectively). The severity of the restrictions but also the fear of the spread of the coronavirus may be relevant to the insufficient seek of help for these groups of patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that during the pandemic period, the invasive interventions were fewer than those of 2019. However, the expected reduction of catheterizations during this two and a half months period was mitigated by the increase of inter-hospital transfers of patients with ACS from neighboring hospitals, without a catheterization laboratory.

Effect of educational intervention based on protection motivation theory on preventive behaviors of respiratory infections among hospital staff.

Hospital staff represent a vulnerable population for respiratory diseases. Consequently, the implementation of training programs becomes imperative as a preventive measure against such infections in these populations. The current study was conducted to examine the impact of an educational intervention based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) on preventive behaviors for respiratory infections among a group of hospital staff. This experimental study involves a sample of 150 hospital staff from Gachsaran City, Iran, in 2021-2022. The sampling technique involved the utilization of a random assignment approach to allocate individuals into two distinct groups: the experimental group, consisting of 75 participants, and the control group, also including 75 individuals. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire designed in accordance with the PMT. This questionnaire was administered to both the experimental and control groups prior to the intervention as well as two months following the intervention. The intervention program consisted of a total of five sessions, each lasting for 60 min, for the experimental group. These sessions were conducted on a weekly basis over a period of two and a half months. Specifically, there were two sessions held every month and one session held every two weeks. Following the completion of the program, the data was entered into SPSS-24 statistical software for analysis using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and chi-square tests. The results indicated that prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of perceived vulnerability constructs (p = 0.25), perceived severity (p = 0.63), perceived response (p = 0.32), and perceived reward (p = 0.11). Besides, there was no considerable distinction in perceived self-efficacy (p = 0.84), perceived response cost (p = 0.33), fear (p = 0.45), behavior motivation (p = 0.51), knowledge (p = 92), or vaccination behavior (p = 0.12) before the educational intervention. However, a significant change was noticed in each of the mentioned variables between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicated that the implementation of an educational intervention grounded in the PMT yields positive outcomes in enhancing preventative behaviors pertaining to respiratory infections. Hence, it is recommended to utilize an intervention grounded in this theory among hospital staff as a viable approach to mitigating the occurrence of respiratory infections.

Baseline Haematological Evaluation in Individuals Prior to Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was discovered in 1983, while acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first detected in 1981. Since then, it continues to be a public health problem. The phenomenon of HIV/AIDS is best viewed as a pandemic affecting almost all countries of the world. The first case of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh was documented in 1989.This study was conducted to evaluate the baseline haematologicalcharacteristic in individuals prior to initiating antiretroviral therapy for HIV. Methods: This study was a cross sectional analytical study conducted among one hundred and fifty-four HIV positive patients attending at ART center, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Patients were included as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Co-morbid conditions were excluded mostly by self-reporting and clinically relevant investigations. Result:The study revealed that HIV infected patients were predominantly middle-aged and young comprising &gt; 70% of the patients with the mean age of the patients being 35.5 ± 9.5 years (range: 20-60 years). A male preponderance was observed in the study with a male-to-female ratio being 3:1. The majority (92.2%) of patients received first-line ART. The red cell indices like Hct, MCV, MCH, and MCHC were also low at the initiation of therapy but changed to normality after treatment. Conclusion: From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that HIV infected individuals are predominantly male, middle-aged, and young. The most common haematological abnormality is anaemia which is significantly reduced in percentage after a mean treatment period of nine and a half months with ART. Bangladesh J Medicine 2024; 35(1): 26-32

Choice of Antiarrythmics Used in Different Arrhythmias Encountered in Patients Undergoing PTCA and Clinical Outcome: A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), is a minimally invasive procedure that opens blocked coronary arteries to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. It is indicated in angina patients unresponsive to maximal medical therapy and in ST elevated Myocardial Infarction (MI). A variety of arrhythmias and conduction disturbances can occur during and after Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI), which can be risk factors for increased morbidity and mortality. Aim: To evaluate the choice of antiarrhythmics use in different arrhythmias encountered in patients undergoing PTCA and to assess the outcome. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted by analysing the data of 139 patients aged between 40 to 70 years who underwent PTCA in the year 2023. The study was carried out over eight months from January 2023 to August 2023 at the Cardiology Department of Max Hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, located in Jakhan. All patients who underwent PTCA at Max Hospital, Dehradun (including stable and unstable angina patients not responding to medical therapy and Myocardial infarction cases), were included in the study. The sample size consisted of 139 patients aged 40 to 70 years who underwent PTCA. Age and gender ratios were considered as demographic factors. Computer records were reviewed for data collection. Additionally, the attending cardiologist was consulted for observations and the treatment plan followed. The outcomes were assessed at admission, after 10 days, and one and a half months for all drugs. The collected data results were analysed in terms of percentage and mean. Results: In the present study, the most common arrhythmias were ventricular premature complexes, occurring in all patients who underwent coronary angioplasty. The second most common arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation, present in 111 (80%) cases. The remainder consisted of atrial flutter 7 (5%), atrial tachycardia 1 (1%), Ventricular tachycardia 7 (5%), and ventricular fibrillation 0.6 (1%), as well as bradyarrhythmia/conduction defects in 69 (50%) cases. Drugs such as Amiodarone, Mexiletine, Lidocaine, Sotalol/Metoprolol, Flecainide, magnesium supplements, and Atropine were used based on the type of arrhythmias. The incidence of complications decreased at admission, after 10 days, one and half month, and the mortality rate decreased after the administration of all the drugs in the present study. Quality of life showed improvement. Conclusion: The most common arrhythmias occurring after PTCA were reperfusion arrhythmias, which were mostly selflimiting and resolved without treatment. Amiodarone was the most commonly used drug for both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Mexiletine was used for Ventricular Tachycardia, Flecainide for supraventricular arrhythmias, and Lidocaine for ventricular tachycardia not responsive to Cordarone. β-blockers were well-tolerated drugs used concomitantly with other antiarrhythmic drugs. The use of antiarrhythmic reduced morbidity and mortality after PTCA and improved the quality of life score.

Atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome in an Infant with Ventricular Septal Defect: A Case Report

Atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (aHUS) is a rare type of thrombotic microangiopathy that occurs without Shiga toxin producing bacteria. It is a condition related to complement regulation, which may be genetic or acquired. The complement system’s alternative pathway is commonly implicated, with around 6-10% of cases being caused by autoantibodies directed against factor H. While it typically affects children between 9 to 13-years-old, it can also occur in adults. Many patients do not have circulating Complement Factor H-related proteins 1 and 3 due to a homozygous deletion involving CFHR1 and CFHR3. Authors hereby report a case of a six-month-old female child who was diagnosed with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) at one and a half months of age. She presented with pneumonia and subsequently developed haemolytic anaemia with thrombocytopenia, oliguria, and acute kidney failure. She was diagnosed with Antifactor H antibody-mediated HUS. She was treated with plasma therapy, but the patient succumbed due to multiorgan dysfunction.

A Prospective Study of Seroconversion Post Covishield Vaccination in COVID-19 Warriors

Introduction: During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic in India, two vaccinees were predominantly administered to prevent the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first vaccine introduced in India was ChAdOx1-nCOV (Covishield), followed by BBV-152 (Covaxin). In the first phase, Healthcare Workers (HCW) were prioritised for vaccination, given their crucial role in the healthcare system. Aim: To assess the antibody response post Covishield vaccination at specific time intervals in HCWs and to determine the correlation of antibody response with age, gender, comorbidities and blood group. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted at Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Rural Medical College, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, Maharashtra, India, over a duration of six months from January 2021 to June 2021. A total of 110 vaccinated HCWs who volunteered were included in this study. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at specific time intervals were assessed using Ortho Clinical Diagnostic’s VITROS 3600 based on the principle of Chemiluminescent Immunosorbent Assay (CLIA). Assessment of anti-SARS-CoV-2 total and IgG antibodies was performed at 15 days, one month, one and a half months, two months, three months, and four months postfirst dose of vaccination, or in other words, 15 days and one month after the 1st dose, and 15 days, one month, two months, and three months post second dose of vaccination. For analysis, Pearson’s correlation and a regression model were performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0.2 version. Results: Fifteen days post second dose, 110 HCWs (100%) and 109 (99.09%) HCWs turned seropositive for total antibodies and IgG antibodies, respectively. It was observed that the majority of participants (33, 30.27%) with peak IgG levels in the medium range were from the age group of 31-40 years. Overall, there was a negative correlation between age and IgG antibody levels for peak IgG values (r-value=-0.224, p-value=0.019). The peak values were achieved in the majority of participants 15 days post second dose (53.6%). The difference in antibody levels based on gender was not significant (Chi-square value=3.387, p-value=0.184). No significant difference in SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels was observed between participants with co-morbidities and those without co-morbidities. Participants who developed SARS-CoV-2 infection during the study period exhibited robust antibody responses after vaccination. Conclusion: These findings help elucidate Covishield vaccinespecific antibody responses in vaccinees of different age groups, genders, blood groups, and with co-morbid conditions. The vaccine has substantially reduced the burden of disease by preventing serious illness in vaccinated HCWs during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A retrospective assessment of the effectiveness of pulsed radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of chronic pain caused by advanced knee osteoarthritis.

Patients suffering from severe chronic pain often have problems finding an appropriate combination of painkillers. We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness and safety of pulsed radiofrequency ablation (pRFA) of the genicular nerves in 96 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KO). We hypothesized that age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) may influence the quality of the pRFA treatment. A diagnostic blockade with total volume of 9 ml of 1% lidocaine (WZF, Poland) combined with 4 mg of dexamethasone with subsequent pRFA with a radio frequency of 300-500 kHz under ultrasound guidance was used during the procedure. The study participants were assessed during regular monthly visits until 12 months. The nerves' ultrasound identification was successful in 90.62% of the cases. According to the numeric rating scale (NRS), pain was reduced by 50% or more in 64.06% of the cases. The average pain relief period lasted just over 7 and a half months. There were no pRFA-related complications or side effects of the drugs used. pRFA seems to be safe and effective for the treatment of chronic pain in KO. The outcome of the treatment may be related to the patient's age (block duration increased with patient age) and sex (in women, the therapeutic effect was more effectively prolonged) in our study group. There was also higher effectiveness of pRFA in high-BMI patients, which was close to statistical significance ( P = 0.053).

Tuberculosis of Penile ShaftA Rare Clinical Presentation

Tuberculosis (TB) is an opportunistic infection caused by Mycobacterium TB, and it has plagued mankind since ages, posing a major health concern in developing countries. Pulmonary TB is the most common form, but extrapulmonary TB is also not uncommon, with an incidence of 8-14%. Cutaneous manifestations of TB, known as lupus vulgaris, are extremely rare, constituting less than 1% of cases worldwide. Diagnosing a cutaneous lesion of TB poses a challenge for clinicians, as it requires both absolute and relative criteria. In the present case report, the author presents the case of a 15-year-old male from a low socio-economic background who presented with painless oedema over the penis for one and a half months. The patient had a history of dry cough and tested positive for Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Systemic examination was normal, and vital signs were stable. Local examination revealed oedema, redness, and phimosis over the penile shaft, along with non tender ulcerative lesions and deep cracks in the groin crease. A skin biopsy revealed lymphocytic infiltration with Langhanstype giant cells and epithelioid cell granulomas, suggesting TB of the skin overlying the penis. Laboratory investigations revealed a positive Mantoux test and an elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) of 42. The patient was initiated on antitubercular therapy, comprising isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol (HRZE). After one month of treatment, the oedema subsided, and the penile ulcers and groin skin cracks healed. Penile skin involvement in TB is rare, and the clinical appearance of such involvement may vary.

Impact of prolonged social crisis on resilience and coping indicators.

The current study examines, longitudinally, (i.e., on the same sample), to what extent an acute political/social crisis in Israel affected the resilience, distress, and additional psychological indicators of the Jewish population, along with three repeated measurements: The first was conducted shortly before the last elections (in October 2022), the second in February 2023, about two and a half months after the elections, following the formation of a right-wing government, and the third measurement about nine months after the election (August 7-10, 2023). The main results indicated the following: (a) the mean societal resilience among coalition voters increased significantly throughout the three measurements, while it declined significantly among opposition voters. (b) significant differences were identified between coalition and opposition voters, mostly at T2 and T3: opposition supporters reported significantly lower levels of societal resilience and hope, and higher levels of distress symptoms and sense of danger, compared to those of coalition supporters. We concluded that the continued social/political conflict in Israel is multidimensional and impacts diverse areas such as values, perspectives, and supporting as well as suppressing coping indicators. The differences between the two voter groups may be primarily the result of political radicalization and polarization processes, that aim to widen gaps to achieve political power. As many countries are currently facing acute political crises and similar radicalization, similar studies should be conducted in varied societies to investigate the generalizability of the findings.

ВЛИЯНИЕ МЕТИЛСУЛЬФОНИЛМЕТАНА НА ФИЗИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ПОКАЗАТЕЛИ БЕЛЫХ КРЫС ПРИ ЭКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНОЙ ИНТОКСИКАЦИИ КАДМИЕМ И СВИНЦОМ

Cadmium and lead, being one of the most dangerous ecotoxicants, are entering feed in an increasing number of regions and then into livestock products, posing a danger to the body of animals and humans. Therefore, the problem of reducing the toxic effect and accumulation of cadmium and lead in the body does not lose its relevance. One of the ways to reduce the accumulation and negative effects of heavy metals (HM) is the use of biologically active substances. Since one of the mechanisms of the toxic effect of heavy metals is the binding of sulfhydry groups, sulfur and preparations containing it are often used to reduce intoxication. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-containing compound that is a natural component of many foods (fruits, vegetables, grains). It has hepatoprotective, antioxidant and antitoxic properties, and is a source of organic sulfur. The introduction of cadmium and lead at a dose of 2,5 and 5 μg/kg into the diet of white rats for two and a half months led to the normalization of the animals’ behavioral indicators, the state of the central nervous system according to the determination of the summation-threshold index (STI), restoration of the level of immunoglobulin, and the content of chlorides in the urine , and in the blood serum – general SH groups, but the hemoglobin content remained significantly low.

Effectiveness of Redecision Therapy on Rational Behavior and Psychological Well-being of Women

Objective: The family is considered one of the important institutions. If it functions properly, family members will also enjoy health and well-being. The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of redecision therapy on rational behavior and psychological well-being of married women aged 30 to 45 in Kerman city. Methods and Materials: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included married women aged 30 to 45 who attended counseling centers in Kerman from October to November 2021. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The redecision therapy training sessions were conducted weekly for the experimental group over two and a half months, with each session lasting 90 minutes, based on the Goulding protocol (1979). The research instruments included the Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (Carl, 1989) and the Rational Behavior Questionnaire (Shorkey &amp; Whiteman, 1997). Data analysis was performed in two sections: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Findings: The results showed that redecision therapy had a significant effect on increasing rational behavior (F=12.07, P&lt;0.001) and psychological well-being of married women (F=14.64, P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that redecision therapy was effective on rational behavior and psychological well-being of married women aged 30 to 45 in Kerman city, and this training can be used to reduce psychological problems in married women.

Effect of Nitro Counseling on Lifestyle of Obese Adolescence.

Obesity during adolescence represents a strong predictor of higher mortality in adulthood; thus, lifestyle interventions represent the recommended therapy. To evaluate the effect of nitro counseling on lifestyle of obese adolescence, and develop life changing program. Quasi-experimental design was conducted between October 2021 and January 2022. A total of 117 university nursing students participated from two universities in Palestine. A self-reported questionnaire was used for data collection and included the following: socio-demographic characteristics, university students' knowledge, practices adolescent lifestyle, and anthropometric measurement to detect body mass index. The nitro counseling program was performed over three and half months. Percentage, mean value, standard deviation, Chi-square (X2), T paired test, and proportion probability (p-value), when p < 0.05 or < 0.02 it is statistically significant difference. The results revealed that 34.1% of students weren't aware of obesity pre-counseling, while it was improved to 93.1% post-nitro counseling implementation with highly statistical significance (p < 0.001). Less than half of adolescence were obesity class1, and more than one-third were obesity class II. There was a highly significant difference between students' knowledge and their practices pre- and post-nitro counseling program implementation. This study confirmed that the total effect of obesity on adolescence self-esteem, social distress, and physical health demonstrated a highly significant difference between pre- and post-implementation of nitro counseling program. In addition to, improved adolescence knowledge and practices pre- and post-counseling implementation.

Fertility Preservation Approach in a Case of Perforating Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

Background: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia following spontaneous abortion is rare and in majority cases the approach is hysterectomy followed by chemotherapy. Case: We present case of a 22-year-old woman who presented with complaints of vaginal bleeding for 2 months; pain abdomen for 3-4 days. On reviewing history, patient was one and a half months pregnant and had spontaneous abortion for which she underwent twice dilatation and curettage and once laparotomy in outside hospital. Patient continued to bleed &amp; MRI pelvis was done which revealed arteriovenous malformation and was thereafter referred to our hospital. On presentation her vitals were stable with pallor positive. On per-abdominal examination there was generalized tenderness and mild bleeding on per speculum examination. Her serum beta hCG at the time of admission was 98,156IU/L. Ultrasound pelvis revealed a highly vascular heterogenous hypoechoic mass showing significant internal and peripheral vascularity. We decided for uterine artery embolization owing to highly vascular GTN, young age and no live issues with the aim of uterine preservation. This was followed by chemotherapy with serial beta hcg monitoring. She is in her 14th month of follow up with resolution of her complaints. Conclusion: The aim behind presenting this case is its rarity of presentation as well as management to increase awareness among treating gynecologists. Importance of multi-disciplinary approach should not be undermined in challenging cases.

Developing Political Literacy of Social Studies Teacher Candidates for Citizenship Education

In the rapidly developing and advancing world, citizens are expected to be involved in politics and help to their administrators/politicians. Although the concept of political literacy has an old history, it has become popular today. It has been included as a skill in 2018 and 2023 social studies curriculums in Türkiye. Considering the relevant national literature and the results of the needs analysis conducted within the scope of this research, it is seen that social studies teachers and teacher candidates don’t know political literacy and don’t have political literacy knowledge, skills and values as necessary. They, expected to raise politically literate individuals, have to be politically literate citizens/teachers in order to be successful. In this research, produced from a doctoral thesis, it was aimed to improve the political literacy of social studies teacher candidates. So, a political literacy education program was prepared within the scope of action research, one of the qualitative research designs, and political literacy education was given to improve the political literacy of teacher candidates. After the training, lasting about three and a half months, the effectiveness of the program in developing political literacy and the views of teacher candidates on it were tried to be revealed.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Citizenship education, Political literacy, Social studies, Teacher candidates

Regional PM2.5 concentration prediction analysis and spatio-temporal mapping incorporating ZWD data

In recent years, air pollution events have been frequent and machine learning models have been widely used in research on long-term and short-term PM2.5 concentration prediction due to their excellent predictive capabilities, but most studies have only dealt with a small number of stations or cities, failing to take into account a spatial plane perspective to demonstrate future PM2.5 concentration changes in the region. Therefore, in this paper, 617 air quality monitoring sites in central and eastern China are used as examples. First, the five meteorological elements of wind speed (WIN), temperature (TEM), precipitation (PRE), pressure (PRS), relative humidity (RHU) and zenith wet delay (ZWD) data were interpolated to the air quality monitoring sites (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, CO) by the inverse distance interpolation (IDW) method. Secondly, the density distribution of each factor was analyzed, and the monthly mean value of each site was interpolation mapped to observe the overall change trend of PM2.5 in the central and eastern regions, and then Spearman correlation coefficient was used to determine the relevant factors for modelling. Finally, four models of back propagation (BP) neural network, random forest (RF), support vector regression (SVR) and long and short-term memory network (LSTM) were constructed to predict the change of PM2.5 concentration at each air quality monitoring station for the next week (7 days), half month (15 days) and month (30 days), selecting the model with the best applicability at each time scale, and mapping the prediction results of stations with R2 greater than 0.5 in the model through spatial interpolation for spatial and temporal mapping. The results show that: (1) except for the differences between the density distribution trends of TEM, PRS and RHU and PM2.5, the remaining elements are consistent with the PM2.5 change trends, and the PM2.5 concentrations in the central-eastern region are high in winter (January, February and December) and low in summer (June, July and August), with a spatial distribution of high in the central-west and low in the east; (2) through the evaluation of the index results, it can be seen that in the three time scales of PM2.5 concentration prediction, RF has better applicability compared with the three models of BP, SVR and LSTM, among which the model accuracy is the best in predicting the future week; (3) By comparing the model interpolation results with the original data interpolation results, it can be seen that the results obtained from the model interpolation basically fit the spatial and temporal trends of future PM2.5 concentrations, and the best interpolation results in predicting the future week, the highest reliability of the spatial and temporal mapping results, and more accurate description of the future PM2.5 concentration changes.

Oxidative Stress: Use of Alternative Therapeutic Agents

Kalonji seeds are a powerhouse of crude fibers, amino acids, iron, sodium, calcium, and potassium. Kalonji is also rich in vitamins that include – Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin B12, Niacin, and Vitamin C. Kalonji oil is much better than other oil as it contains essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. It comprised approximately 17% protein, 26% carbohydrates, and 57% plant fats and oils. Apart from drugs various substances and life style changes are being advised to correct oxidative stress burden in human body. Analysis of the lipid content in the oxidatively modified LDL from hyper lipidemic patients revealed that the level of lysophosphatidylcholine was greatly elevated, and the high level of the lysolipid was shown to impair the endothelium-dependent relaxation of the blood vessels. In alllopathy blood lipid levels are normalized by statins, fibrates, niacin and bile acid binding resins (BABRs). All of these allopathy related drugs have low compliance ranges from mild compliance due to metalic taste of BABRs to severe side effects like rhabdomyolysis by fibrates and statins. Cardiovascular diseases are leading cause of death in western and eastern countries of the world. Hyperlipidemia is one of the strong risk fractions for heart diseases. To evaluate hypolipidemic drugs efficacy, the study was conducted at Ghurki trust teaching hospital, Lahore Pakistan from January 2020 to August 2020. Ninty hyperlipidemic patients were selected from cardiology and medical wards of the hospital. They were divided in three groups, one at placebo therapy, another on Kalonji and third one on Vitamin B3. After one and half month, significant changes (p value ranging from &lt;0.05 to &lt;0.001) were observed in their LDL and HDL-cholesterol. Conclusion of the study was to recommend use of herbal medicine and vitamin B3 for prevention of any heart diseases with good patient compliance. KEY WORDS: kalonji, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, blood vessels.

Embolization of cerebellar pial arteriovenous fistula presented with congestive edema of the brainstem and cervical cord.

Cerebellar pial arteriovenous fistula (PAVF) in adults presenting with congestive edema of the brainstem and cervical cord has rarely been reported. Here, we report such a case. A 59-year-old man presented with progressive weakness and numbness of the limbs and hiccups for 6months. On physical examination, his limbs had grade III muscle strength, and he was unable to stand or walk. He also had occasional incontinence and retention. There was a positive Babinski sign in both lower limbs. Below the neck, he had hypoesthesia of the skin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed edema of the brainstem and upper cervical cord. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) confirmed there was a cerebellar nongalenic-type PAVF lesion; the feeding arteries were the branches of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA); and the draining vein was a single cortical vein that ultimately entered the venous systems of the brainstem and upper cervical cord. Casting Onyx-18 via the PICA obliterated the PAVF. Postoperatively, the patient recovered gradually. Two and a half months later, he could walk using a crutch and had no incontinence. Six-month follow-up MRI and DSA revealed recession of the edema of the brainstem and cervical cord and no recurrence of this PAVF. One year later, he was nearly normal. In conclusion and extremely rarely, cerebellar nongalenic-type PAVF can present with congestive edema of the brainstem and high cervical cord. This treatment by Onyx-18 embolization can resolve PAVF.

Framings of colourism among Kenyan Twitter users

Colourism is a form of discrimination where dark-skinned people of colour are perceived and treated less favourably than lighter-skinned people of the same ethnic group or racial classification. Much of the scholarly literature on colourism is focused on the experiences of African-Americans in the United States, but there is also substantial literature examining colourism’s impacts for Americans of Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian ancestry, and for people of colour in the Caribbean, Latin America, the UK, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and parts of Africa. To date, there has not been significant scholarly focus on the phenomenon as it manifests in Kenya. This study sought to address that research gap by: (1) exploring the extent to which colourism is an issue of concern among Kenyan users of the social media platform Twitter; and (2) identifying the main colourism themes present in posts in the Kenyan Twitter ecosystem. The research entailed mining Kenyan Twitter data for nine and a half months in 2022, which resulted in the documentation of 7,726 unique posts on elements of colourism, as posted from 5,094 unique Twitter user accounts. Using inductive frame analysis, three predominant thematic categories were identified across the posts: (1) colourism perceptions; (2) colourism experiences; and (3) colourism influence. The frame analysis also uncovered sub-themes in each of these three broad categories. It was found that most of the Kenyan Twitter users who tweeted on matters of colourism during the period studied both acknowledged the existence of colourism’s manifestations and at the same time rejected the manifestations, advocating for a future free from such discrimination.

Evaluation of Conservative Breast Surgery After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Early Breast Cancer

Background: The breast cancer is a frequent type of cancers. It is associated with high mortality related to cancer in women. The treatment options transferred from radical surgery to less invasive operations. This was attributed to surgical advance and available neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the conservative breast surgery feasibility and outcome for early breast cancer received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for downstaging. Patients and Methods: Thirty women (30) with early breast cancer were included between November 2022 and May 2023. All women were assessed in systematic manner by history, clinical, laboratory and radiological investigations before chemotherapy, before and after surgery. A true cut biopsy was drawn to estimate the histopathological nature. All surgeries were performed one and half months after the last session of NACT. A regular postoperative follow up was carried out up to six months. Any complications were recorded. Effect of NACT on the tumor grading was the primary outcome, while cosmetic results and patient satisfaction were the secondary outcomes. Results: Complications were in the form of wound infection, seroma and hematoma in 6.7%, 13.3% and 3.3% respectively. These were mild and treated conservatively. The excellent cosmetic result was achieved for 80.0% and excellent patient satisfaction was recorded for 60.0%. The effect of chemotherapy showed significant improvement of clinical and pathological post chemotherapy tumor size values when compared to clinical tumor size values before chemotherapy, the T1 grade (≤2cm) increased from 50% to 66.7%, while the T2 grade (&gt; 2cm &lt;5 cm) decreased from 50% to33.3%. Conclusion: NACT was associated with excellent response regarding tumor size reduction, negativity of lymph nodes as well as pathological response of early breast cancer, before breast conservation surgery (BCS). The BCS after NACT could be considered as a safe option with acceptable aesthetic outcome.