Significant P-value Research Articles

Time-course analysis of frontal gene expression profiles in the rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder and a comparison with the conditioned fear model

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder that involves physiological, emotional, and cognitive dysregulation that may occur after exposure to a life-threatening event. In contrast with the condition of learned fear with resilience to extinction, abnormal fear with impaired fear extinction and exaggeration are considered crucial factors for the pathological development of PTSD. The prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is considered a critical region of top-down control in fear regulation, which involves the modulation of fear expression and extinction. The pathological course of PTSD is usually chronic and persistent; a number of studies have indicated temporal progression in gene expression and phenotypes may be involved in PTSD pathology. In the current study, we use a well-established modified single-prolonged stress (SPS&FS) rat model to feature PTSD-like phenotypes and compared it with a footshock fear conditioning model (FS model); we collected the frontal tissue after extreme stress exposure or fear conditioning and extracted RNA for transcriptome-level gene sequencing. We compared the genetic profiling of the mPFC at early (<2 h after solely FS or SPS&FS exposure) and late (7 days after solely FS or SPS&FS exposure) stages in these two models. First, we identified temporal differences in the expressional patterns between these two models and found pathways such as protein synthesis factor eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (EIF2), transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated oxidative stress response, and acute phase responding signaling enriched in the early stage in both models with significant p-values. Furthermore, in the late stage, the sirtuin signaling pathway was enriched in both models; other pathways such as STAT3, cAMP, lipid metabolism, Gα signaling, and increased fear were especially enriched in the late stage of the SPS&FS model. However, pathways such as VDR/RXR, GP6, and PPAR signaling were activated significantly in the FS model's late stage. Last, the network analysis revealed the temporal dynamics of psychological disorder, the endocrine system, and also genes related to increased fear in the two models. This study could help elucidate the genetic temporal alteration and stage-specific pathways in these two models, as well as a better understanding of the transcriptome-level differences between them.

The Effect of Education on Knowledge Regarding Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Risk Reduction and Prevention Among Nursing Personnel.

Aim The development of lymphedema post-breast-cancer surgery has been identified as a significant burden worldwide, with nurses at the forefront of prevention and risk reduction practices.Prevention is of crucial importance to avoid lymphedema formation and its complications.Thisstudy aims to assess the knowledge gained through an educational session regarding risk reduction and prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) among nursing professionals and compare the pre-test and post-test knowledge. Methods and material The research approach was quantitative in nature, and the design adopted was a pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design.The study was conducted in a 400-bed multispecialty teaching hospital in Bangalore, Karnataka. After obtaining formal permission from the authorities, the participants were approached and informed about the purpose of the study.Eighty-four staff nurses working with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) patients participated in the study. The data for the study was collected using a validated questionnaire based on the National Lymphedema Network's (NLN) breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) risk reduction and preventive guidelines.The questionnaire consisted of two sections.Section A consisted of the staff nurses' demographic data, and Section B consisted of questions on risk reduction and prevention of lymphedema. The pre-test was conducted, followed by a structured teaching session on risk reduction and prevention of lymphedema among 84 staff nurses working with BCRL patients.After the teaching session, the post-test was conducted. Results Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis in this study.The t-test determined the statistical significance using the software SPSS (SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). The result showed that the mean knowledge score was 4.286 with SD 0.97 in the pre-test, which increased to 4.452 with SD 1.511 with a significant p-value (<0.001). Conclusion According to the study's findings, nurses must get standardized lymphedema training in order to prevent lymphedema from developing in patients having breast cancer surgery.The study's outcome has implications on the focus areas for nurses in the context of the team's adoption and dissemination of breast cancer-related lymphedema preventive measures. Key messages of this study are - 1) BCRL is an irreversible, progressive complication with no cure if not diagnosed early. 2) Poor knowledge of lymphedema prevention among nurses leads to frustration for BCRL patients. 3) Risk reduction and prevention education enable the patient to reduce BCRL complications, minimize the severity of the condition, and improve the quality of life. 4) Pre-habilitation - patient education on early diagnosis and risk reduction/prevention of BCRL reduces the cost, time, and energy for the patient and health care delivery system.

Pregabalin versus Gabapentin Efficacy in the Management of Neuropathic Pain Associated with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a common long-term complication following spine surgeries characterized by chronic persistent pain; different strategies of management were employed to deal with it. This clinical trial aims to compare the efficacy of Pregabalin and Gabapentin in the management of this condition. A double-blind, randomized, comparative study (clinical trial registry NCT05324761 on 11th April 2022) with two parallel arms with Pregabalin and Gabapentin were used in arms one and two, respectively. Visual analog scale was used for basal and endpoint assessment of pain. T-test and analysis of covariance were used to deal with different variables. A pairwise test was used to compare pairs of means. Of 66 patients referred to the trial, 64 were eligible, with 60 patients completing the 30 days trial. Both pregabalin and gabapentin effectively reduce pain, with significant p-values of 0.001 for each group. However, the pregabalin group was superior to gabapentin in pain reduction (p=0.001). Gender was an insignificant factor (p=0.574 and p=0.445 for the pregabalin and gabapentin groups, respectively, with a non-significant reduction (p=0.393) for both groups in total. Location of stenosis before surgery and type of surgery performed show non-significant effect on pain reduction for both groups. Both pregabalin and gabapentin effectively and safely relieve neuropathic pain associated with FBSS; pregabalin was significantly more effective irrespective of the patients' gender.

Plasma or Fibrin Matrix? A Comparative Study between PRP versus PRFM Therapy in Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the most common conditions encountered in surgical OPD. The incidence of a diabetic foot ulcer is around 15% among the diabetic population. Around 80% of non-traumatic amputation is due to chronic diabetic foot ulcer. Recent advances are made in treating wounds in which platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) therapy have proven beneficial. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted from February 2021 to February 2023, for a period of 2 years which included 42 patients. Group A received autologous platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) and group B received autologous platelet rich fibrin matrix therapy (PRFM) each consisting of 21 patients. Results: PRFM Group showed better reduction in ulcer size compared to respective PRP Group, and demonstrated statistically significant p-values. Around 47% of the subjects had complete closure of the ulcer after 5 sessions of PRP dressing while it was 90% with PRFM dressing.

Effects of Aphrodite (an Herbal Compound) on SSRI-Induced Sexual Dysfunctions and Depression in Females with Major Depressive Disorder: Findings from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background and Objectives: Almost by default, people with major depression disorder (MDD) also report sexual health issues. This holds even more true when sexual dysfunctions are SSRI-induced. Herbal compounds may have the power to counterbalance such sexual dysfunctions, though research is still scarce. Therefore, we assessed females with diagnosed MDD treated with a standard SSRI (sertraline) and reporting SSRI-induced sexual dysfunctions, and we asked whether compared to placebo, Aphrodite (a blend of ginger, saffron, cinnamon, thistle, and Tribulus terrestris) may favorably impact on sexual dysfunctions, and on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Materials and Methods: A total of 41 females (mean age: 35.05 years) with diagnosed MDD, treated with sertraline (a standard SSRI) at therapeutic dosages, and reporting SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction, were randomly assigned either to Aphrodite or to the placebo condition. At baseline and four and eight weeks later (study end), participants completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering symptoms of sexual dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and sleep complaints. Results: Symptoms of sexual dysfunction, depression, and anxiety decreased over time, but more so in the Aphrodite condition, compared to the placebo condition (significant p-values and large effect sizes). Over time, sleep disturbances decreased irrespective of the study condition. Conclusions: The pattern of results suggests that compared to placebo, Aphrodite appeared to improve symptoms of sexual dysfunction, depression, and anxiety among females with diagnosed MDD and SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. Further and similar studies should investigate the underlying psychophysiological mechanisms.

Demographic Characteristics and Disease Pattern Among Non-COVID-19 Patients Admitted to Medical Units of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Sri Lanka During Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison During and Before Lockdown.

The COVID-19 infection was rapidly spreading almost all over the world, and the first case was confirmed on 27th January 2020 by a foreign tourist in Sri Lanka. The first Sri Lankan citizen with COVID-19 was confirmed on 11th March 2020. Soon after the confirmation of the disease, long days of lockdown were imposed in almost all parts of the world, including Sri Lanka, to control the spread of the disease. Objectives: To determine the demographic characteristics such as age, sex, number of patients, and disease pattern among non-COVID-19 patients admitted to the medical units during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare these characteristics with the data before the lockdown. This was a cross-sectional analytical study. It was conducted at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. All the non-COVID-19 patients admitted to medical wards and intensive care units (ICU) were included in this study. Patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and coronary care unit (CCU) were considered ICU admissions in this study. They were studied over a period of one month during lockdown (11th March 2020 to 10th April 2020) and compared with the patients admitted one month prior to the lockdown (11th February 2020 to 10th March 2020). Totally, 2340 non-COVID-19 patients (52.5% males) were admitted before the lockdown, and 1376 non-COVID-19 patients (56.2% males) were admitted during the lockdown. This reduction in admission is statistically significant (p-value is <0.001, df=3715). Patients admitted to the wards before lockdown were 2283 (97.6%) and during lockdown were 1309 (95.1%). ICU admissions were N=57 (2.4%) before lockdown and N=67 (4.9%) during lockdown. The common age distribution before the lockdown showed that 26.4% were 31-50 and 41.5% were 51-70 years. Similarly, during lockdown, the age distribution disclosed that 28.9% were 31-50 years and 42.9% were 51-70 years. The disease pattern demonstrated that before lockdown, the majority of patients were admitted for routine hemodialysis (13.2%), to get an injection (9.9%), ischemic heart disease (8.4%), chronic kidney disease (7.3%), and viral fever, including dengue (7.2%). Likewise, during lockdown, more patients were admitted for routine hemodialysis (10.7%), viral fever, including dengue (9.3%), ischemic heart disease (8.8%), to get an injection (8.5%), and chronic kidney disease (5.9%). Conclusion: There was a significant reduction in the number of non-COVID-19-related admissions during the period of lockdown. However, there was not much difference in the proportion of admissions according to gender, age, and disease pattern before and during lockdown. More number of male patients were admitted than female patients. Most of the admitted patients were under the age group of 51-70 years. The highest number of patients were admitted for routine hemodialysis before and during lockdown. However, a slightly higher number of patients were admitted to the ICU during lockdown. Therefore, strengthening the ICU facilities may be an important preparation to accommodate more patients in the future if a similar kind of emergency lockdown occurs in a pandemic situation. In addition, admissions due to non-communicable diseases (NCD) didn't fall in proportion during the pre-COVID-19 period and the lockdown period. Therefore, the redistribution of healthcare facilities needs to be done wisely to face the challenges caused by the NCDs.

Knotless barbed suture versus conventional polydioxanone suture material for intraoral surgical incisions - A randomized controlled trial

PurposeTo evaluate and compare the perioperative wound management and healing of intraoral surgical incisions between the conventional and knotless barbed Polydioxanone suture materials. Materials and methodsA Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted with well-constructed inclusion and exclusion criteria. 46 participants were allotted into the control and test groups based on a computer-generated randomization sequence. The materials used were 3–0 Stratafix™ knotless barbed PDS suture and conventional 3–0 Ethicon PDSTMII suture materials. Parameters assessed included intraoperative time taken for closure and assessment with Early Wound Healing Score (EHS) on postoperative day 1 and Landry, Turnbull, and Howley (LTH) Healing index on postoperative days 3 and 7. Statistical analyses were done using the Chi-square test and student's t-test with a p-value less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results32 patients had surgical intervention for maxillofacial fracture management and 14 patient for orthognathic osteotomies. Surgical sites (n = 60) included maxillary and mandibular vestibules. Intraoperative closure time was better in the test group with statistical significance (p-value = 0.0472). The healing scores on the 3rd and 7th postoperative days were compared between the control and test groups exhibiting statistical significance favouring the test group. The p-values were 0.0479 and 0.0393 respectively. ConclusionTo conclude, our study concurred with the existing literature in terms of reduced operating time, and better wound healing observed with the knotless barbed suture. Along with statistical significance, all the variables exhibited clinical relevance and better wound management in the test group.

Comparative Study of Complete Blood Count Between High-Altitude and Sea-Level Residents in West Saudi Arabia.

The reduction in oxygen partial pressure at high altitudes leads to diminished oxygen saturation in the arteries, stimulating erythropoietin production and erythropoiesis to restore appropriate oxygenation. While many studies have explored acclimatization to high altitude and its effects on complete blood count (CBC) parameters, our research uniquely examined both male and female healthy individuals, emphasizing the novelty of gender-specific observations. We analyzed 1,160 individuals in Taif (Al Hada), east Saudi Arabia, a high-altitude region, and compared them to 1,044 counterparts in Jeddah, at sea level. Our results revealed significant variations in CBC parameters, including white blood count, red blood count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils, reflecting the body's hypoxic response. These variations were observed in both genders, with specific differences noted between males and females. For example, NEU (neutrophils), representing the absolute count of a type of white blood cell essential in the immune system's defense, showed significant variations for males. The male results show that the variation in males between the sea level and high altitudes indicated significant p-values for all CBC parameters except NEU between at sea level (Jeddah city), whose p-value was 0.8696, and at high altitude (Taif city, Al Hada). In contrast, MONO (monocytes), another type of white blood cell involved in immune response, and RBC (red blood cells), responsible for oxygen transport, were mentioned but did not show significant variations for females. The full results for females showed significant results (P<0.0001)for BASO, HCT, HGB, MCH, MCHC, MPV, PLT, RDW, and WBC between the sea-level altitude and high altitude for females. Also, EOS and LYM showed significant P-values of 0.0002 and 0.0001, respectively, while MONO, NEU, and RBC indicated no significance between the sea-level altitude and high altitude for females. The p-values of MONO, NEU, and RBC, respectively, were0.1907, 0.1259, and 0.0677. The results for both genders combined showed significant variations of all CBC parameters (P<0.0001) between the sea-level altitude and high altitude except for MONO, NEU, and RBC, which were not significant for both males and females, with p-values of 0.1589, 0.2911, and 0.0595, respectively. All unhealthy individuals were excluded from the study with any condition that would cause significant changes in CBC parameters and would skew the results, ensuring a focus on physiological adaptations in healthy subjects. By comparing healthy individuals and examining each gender separately, this study contributes valuable insights into high-altitude acclimatization, enhancing our understanding of physiological adaptations and potentially guiding health management in such environments within the normal range.

Severity of Schistosoma haematobium co-infection with malaria in school-children is potentially modulated by host CD14 gene variants

ObjectiveSchistosomiasis remains a chronic disease of global importance, especially in many rural areas of the world where co-infection with Plasmodium falciparum is common. It is critical to decipher the role of single or co-infected disease scenarios on immune system regulation in such individuals and how such co-infections can either ameliorate or complicate immune response and the consequent disease outcome. First, 10 ml of urine samples, collected between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, was filtered for diagnosis of schistosomiasis, while egg count, indicative of disease severity, was determined by microscopy. Furthermore, genomic DNA samples extracted from dried blood spots collected on filter paper from one hundred and forty-four Schistosoma haematobium-infected school-children was tested for P. falciparum parasite positivity by an allele-specific nested-PCR analysis of merozoite surface protein (msp)-1 and -2 genes and a real-time PCR assay. In addition, among P. falciparum parasite-positive individuals, we carried out a Taqman SNP genotyping assay to extrapolate the effect of host CD14 (-159 C/T; rs2569190) genetic variants on schistosome egg count.ResultsOf the 144 individuals recruited, P. falciparum parasite positivity with msp-1 gene were 34%, 43% and 55% for MAD20, RO33 and K1 alleles respectively. Of the co-infected individuals, CD14 genetic variants ranged from 18.8% vs 21.5%, 33.3% vs 44.4%, 9.7% vs 11.8% for single versus schistosome co-infection for the wild type (CC), heterozygous (CT) and mutant (TT) variants respectively. Though the mean egg count for co-infected individuals with CD14 wild type (33.7 eggs per 10 ml of urine) and heterozygote variants (37.5 eggs per 10 ml of urine) were lower than that of schistosome infection alone (52.48 and 48.08 eggs/10 ml of urine respectively), it lacked statistical significance (p-value 0.12 and 0.29), possibly reflecting the benefit of the CD14 activation in schistosome plus malaria co-infection and not schistosome infection alone. In addition, the lower mean egg count in co-infected individuals reveal the benefit of downstream Th1 immune response mitigated by CD14 innate activation that is absent in schistosome infection alone.

Intraoperative Wound Irrigation for Prevention of Surgical Site Infections After Abdominal Surgery

Objectives: To compare the frequency of surgical site infections after abdominal surgery with and without intraoperative irrigation of the surgical wounds.&#x0D; Methodology: This randomized controlled trial was performed in general surgery department, PAF Hospital, Islamabad from 10th August 2022 to 9th May 2023. A total of 520 patients undergoing abdominal surgeries of any gender between the ages of 15–70 years were included. Patients were randomly divided in two groups on the basis of non-probability, consecutive sampling. The participants included in the group-A did not receive any intraoperative wound irrigation. The participants in the Group-B received intraoperative wound irrigation with antiseptic solution i.e., povidone-iodine in solution. Each patient was followed up respectively on 7th, 21st and 30th days postoperatively to observe surgical site infection. Chi square test was applied to compare SSI percentage between two groups. P-value of less than 0.05 was taken as significant.&#x0D; Results: Mean age was 39.87±6.93 years in group-A and 37.67±7.56 years in Group-B. Out of 520 patients, 344 (66.15%) were males and 176 (33.85%) were females. Surgical site infection after abdominal surgery without intraoperative irrigation was found to be 34 (13.08%) and surgical site infection after abdominal surgery with intraoperative irrigation was 12 (4.62%), hence statistically significant (p-value = 0.0007).&#x0D; Conclusion: This study concluded that intraoperative wound irrigation is effective to prevent the surgical site infections after abdominal surgery.

Comparison of Bubble CPAP Versus Conventional Ventilation in Neonates Having Respiratory Distress

Objective: To compare the outcomes of bubble continuous positive airway pressure (B-CPAP) versus ventilator continuous positive airway pressure (V-CPAP) in neonates experiencing respiratory distress. Methodology: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, from March 1, 2021, to August 31, 2021. A total of 150 neonates of both genders who presented with respiratory distress and were delivered at &gt;32 weeks of gestation, weighing &gt;1500 grams. The neonates were then randomly allocated to two groups using a lottery method. Treatment failure was defined as a neonate's inability to maintain a SpO2 greater than 90% or an arterial partial pressure (PaO2) greater than 50 mmHg with a maximal CPAP of &gt;7 cm of water and a FiO2 greater than 0.6 or the necessity of mechanical ventilation. Results: Of these, 82 (54.7%) were male, and 68 (45.3%) were female, resulting in a male-to-female ratio of 1.2:1. The mean gestational age was 36±2.49 weeks in the B-CPAP group and 35.52±1.36 weeks in the V-CPAP group. The mean birth weight was 2381±506.4 grams in the B-CPAP group and 2187.3±427.49 grams in the V-CPAP group. Out of the 75 neonates in the B-CPAP group, 10 (13.3%) were classified as treatment failures, while 19 (25.3%) out of 75 neonates in the V-CPAP group met the criteria for treatment failure, according to our operational definition. Although the failure rate was slightly higher in patients receiving V-CPAP for the management of respiratory distress, these differences were not statistically significant (p-value= 0.052). Conclusion: In the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress, there was no significant difference in the failure rate between bubble CPAP and ventilatory CPAP. Regardless of the neonate's gender, birth weight, gestational age, or Silverman score, bubble CPAP may be considered as the primary mode of respiratory support for neonates with respiratory distress.

Risk factors for H9N2 contamination in live bird markets of the Greater Jakarta, Indonesia

Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza virus subtype H9N2 causes decreased egg production and two of the four defined H9N2 poultry lineages (G1 and Y280) have been associated with human infections. The high positive test results for the H9N2 virus in the LBMs of the Greater Jakarta area in 2021 can be a source of transmission for the surrounding area. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors that play a role in the H9N2 contamination in the LBMs to obtain a multivariate analysis model.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;A cross-sectional study was conducted on 87 vendors and 124 broiler chickens from 44 LBMs randomly selected in Tangerang City, North Jakarta, and Bekasi City. Samples were taken as equipment swabs at the stall of poultry carcass vendors, tracheal swabs, and cloacal swabs of broiler chicken. The test used was Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction. Data analysis was performed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis with logistic regression.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;The prevalence of H9N2 virus contamination at the LBM level in Greater Jakarta in 2022 was 77.27% (95% CI, α 7%), while the prevalence at the vendor level was 54.02% (95% CI, α 5%). The risk factors for H9N2 virus contamination with a significant p-value&amp;lt;0.05 include the positive results on equipment swab samples, positive results on both equipment and broiler swabs, and the use of carcass sink. The multivariate analysis model of H9N2 virus contamination at the vendor level was Logit P (H9N2=1 | x) = 0.29924 - 2.42176PPE + 1.58691carcass sink. The risk factor contributing to increase H9N2 contamination is using carcass sinks, while PPE is the one that reduces H9N2 contamination.

Dental Health Educational: Media Videos and Animated Videos on Increasing Dental and Oral Health Maintenance Behavior

Dental health education in children is an effort that can emotionally eliminate fear, want to observe, and foster curiosity so that children physically perform activities that are demonstrated for their health. The selection of dental health education media must be considered in detail and carefully so that the media displayed can have an effect on increasing children's behavior in maintaining oral health. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in the effectiveness of dental health education with dental health education video media and animated videos on improving the oral health maintenance behavior of 4-5 grade students of Brebes 14 State Elementary School. Research Methods Quasi experimental with pre and post-test design with Two Group Design. The sample used in this study was 60 students of Brebes 14 State Elementary School with purposive sampling technique. Data analysis using univariate and bivariate analysis, namely the Wilcoxon test to prove whether there is a change in oral health maintenance behavior before and after being given dental health education and the Mann-Whitney test to determine the effectiveness of the two dental health education media. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed that the average value of dental health maintenance behavior with dental health education video media was 47.3. Dental health maintenance behavior with animated video media is 43.9. And the Mann-Whitney test results show significant results p-value = 0.000 &lt;0.05. It can be concluded that dental health education with dental health education video media is more effective in improving oral health maintenance behavior compared to using animated video media with a p-value &lt;0.05.

An Analysis of Foot Morphology Using a Self-Designed Foot Scanner in Preparing Custom-Made Footwear: An Anatomical Approach

Foot morphology and morphometry knowledge is vital in several domains. 60% of the population has foot pain due to ill-fitting footwear. There is no standard device or parameters to evaluate the arches of the foot, and most of the research to assess the arches of the foot. Aim of the study: The study aimed to develop a hodoscope (foot scanner) device to evaluate the arches of the foot. The study's objective was to prepare custom–made footwear based on foot morphology. The study included 849 (405 males and 444 females) participants aged between 25 and 45. Podoscope was used to evaluate the arches of the foot. Based on the evaluation, 62 participants were provided with custom-made footwear based on the morphometry of the foot. The statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used to analyze the pain scale based on positive ranks, with a statistically significant p-value (&lt; 0.001). Results: 44.19% of men and 47.97% of women had a normal arch foot. 33.08% of men and 28.82% of women had a flat arch, and 22.71% of men and 23.19% of women had a high arch foot. The present study identified foot problems (forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot) using a self-designed podoscope and attempted to design custom–made footwear based on foot morphometry. The quality of the footwear was acceptable and cost-effective. Custom-made footwear based on foot morphology will benefit individuals with foot problems. KEYWORDS: Foot Morphology, Self-Designed Foot Scanner, Custom-Made Footwear, Podoscope.

Does School Gardening and Nutrition Education Improve Knowledge and Fruit-Vegetable Consumption Among Elementary School Students?

Background: Although scientific evidence has revealed the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) for children, 96.8% of age school children in Indonesia and 70.6% of primary school students in Jakarta did not have FVC as recommended. Aims: to assess how Muhammadiyah Elementary School Students’ knowledge and FVC were affected by school gardening and nutrition education. Methods: Following 6 monthly program, knowledge and FVC were assessed by using the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) and knowledge questionnaire. Results: 1) There is a significant increase in students’ knowledge scores from 43.24 ± 14.24 to 70.31 ± 18.92 (P-value 0.000). 4); 2) The mean of FCV was elevated from 211.45±12.33 to 289.76±19.64, however, it was not statistically significant (P-Value of 0.058). Conclusion: Although knowledge has been improved following 6 months program, the FVC level was not dramatically enhanced. Future similar activities need to be done in a non-pandemic situation and should be lengthened into more than 6 months to portray a significant increase in FVC.

Correlation between Perfusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Features with Histopathological Grading of Glioma

Background: Gliomas are the most common primary neoplasm of the brain. It histopathologically grades I to IV. I and II are low grade while III, IV are high grade. Low-grade gliomas are usually subject to either strict follow-up or surgery. The treatment for high grade gliomas is typically surgery, followed by concomitant radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Conventional MRI has limitations for the grading of gliomas. In addition to conventional MRI techniques, a variety of new techniques such as perfusion-weighted MRI which noninvasively measures cerebral perfusion that can be used for better assessment of glioma. This will be helpful for therapeutic approach and counseling about prognosis of the patient. Methods: This cross sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from IRB clearance to 18 months. The patients who fulfill the selection criteria were enrolled in this study. Written informed consent was taken from the patients and/or the legal guardian/ responsible family members after completely explaining to them the procedure and the purpose of the study. Patient’s data was collected in questionnaire/data collection sheet. The privacy of the patient was strictly maintained and the patient’s information will not be disclosed to any source. The study data will only be used for the purpose of this scientific study. This study was not causing any additional harm to the patients. All the patients were evaluated by a standard conventional contrast-enhanced study with perfusion-weighted image on Siemens 3 Tesla MRI. The histopathological grading of the tumor was done as per the WHO classification of 2007. Then correlation was done between PWI finding and WHO histopathological grading. Results: Measurement of relative cerebral blood volume in glioma patients was done in PW-MRI preoperatively. Out of the 35 tumors evaluated, 17 were found as low rCBV and 18 as high. Histopathological examination of glioma was done postoperatively. Among 35 tumors, 19 are low grade gliomas and 16 are high grade gliomas. For the correlation between relative cerebral blood volume in preoperative PW MRI and histopathological grading of glioma, Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient Test was done. We found a significant positive coefficient value of r = 0.572 with a significant p-value of p = &lt;0.001. A single cutoff relative cerebral blood volume value of 1.7 for low versus high grade glioma was found to be 77.8% sensitive and 88.2% specific. Conclusion: The present study ascertains that histopathological grading of glioma is positively correlated with relative cerebral blood volume in PW MRI. Bang. J Neurosurgery 2022; 12(1): 12-19

A Comparative Evaluation of Enamel Wear Against Different Surface Finished Ceramics: An In Vitro Study.

An essential factor in the clinical acceptability of all ceramic restorations is the degree of tooth enamel wear. Wear of human enamel has been shown to produce traumatic occlusion, loss of vertical dimension, supra eruption of opposing teeth, periodontal disintegration, and temporomandibular dysfunction. To assess and compare enamel wear against two different ceramics (IPS Empress and Zirconia) and against three different ceramic surface treatments (autoglazed, overglazed, and polished). Zirconia and IPS Empress (Ivoclar Vivadent, Liechtenstein) ceramic samples totaled 30, of which 10 each underwent glaze, overglaze, or polishing with Diaglaze polishing paste. Using a horizontal pin on the disc machine, 60 mounted premolar tooth samples were produced and put through wear tests against ceramic discs. Prior to and following wear, the weight of the tooth samples was measured, and the results were then statistically analyzed using the student t-test, unpaired t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The qualitative data employed proportions, and the quantitative data used mean and standard deviation to express statistical information. The threshold of significance was set at 5% (α = 0.05). The results for weight loss after 25,000 cycles for ceramic surfaces that had been overglazed were just a little bit greater than those for ceramic surfaces that had been autoglazed and polished. In each of the various subgroups, it was shown that the weight loss values obtained with polished ceramic after 25,000 cycles were significantly lower than those obtained with autoglazed and overglazed ceramic surfaces (P=0.001). When comparing the results produced by the two separate primary groups, IPS Empress and Zirconia, there was no statistically significant difference between the autoglazed, overglazed, and polished groups. While statistically significant difference was seen for each subgroup of IPS and Zirconia (p ≤ 0.01), particularly Zirconia glazed (1.227) with a highly significant p-value of 0.00. The findings contribute to the understanding of the potential clinical implications of different ceramic materials and surface finishes in restorative dentistry, offering valuable insights for practitioners in their treatment decisions. Further research and clinical observations may be needed to corroborate these findings and guide evidence-based practices in dental restorations.

Development of transgenic algae strain expressing CTB-M2e fusion gene an approach towards the development of a universal edible vaccine in Algae.

Avian Influenza, the most studied virus, is of high concern due to its zoonotic pandemic potential. In recent years, several influenza vaccines have been used with the broad goal of managing and in certain cases, eliminating the disease. The matrix 2 extracellular domain (M2e), is one of the key targets of the universal influenza vaccine, a liner peptide that is conserved throughout all influenza A subtypes virus. Many recombinant influenza proteins have been expressed in yeast and plants for vaccine development. A remarkable development has been made in the field of biotechnology to explore the potential of microalga as an expression host. In this study, we designed a fusion gene code for M2e peptide and CTB protein as M2e's natural form has a low level of immunogenicity. The fusion gene was cloned in the Chloroplast transformation vector pSRSapI and expressed in the TN72 mutant strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. The expression of the targeted protein was confirmed by ECL western blot analysis. A GM1-ELISA was carried out to detect the affinity of fusion protein for GM1 monosialoganglioside and the significant P-value is lower than 0.05. Immunogenicity assay on chicken detected the anti-M2e bodies in chicken serum. This study gives evidence of therapeutic protein production through algae chloroplast and a stable, selection free and low cost oral delivery for universal vaccine against influenza A virus.

Thematic group activities: accommodating the individual needs of clients undergoing therapeutic community approach in Indonesia

PurposeTherapeutic community (TC) is a primary approach that has been used in all Indonesian National Narcotics Board residential treatment centers since 2012. In TC, all daily activities are strengthened into habits and routines without strong therapeutic or educational reasons. But recently, the TC members become more critical and have growing individual needs. Thus, the Indonesian National Narcotics Board (INNB) tried to combine the TC approach with thematic group activities (TGA) intervention using an integrated individual approach to improve the outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the client’s behavioral changes after undergoing a TC approach added with TGA intervention for two months.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods study with the pre-post design was applied to 122 participants from six INNB rehabilitation centers. Pre-post behavioral changes were measured by using Client Evaluation of Self Treatment, University Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale, modified-Addiction Severity Index 3.0 and World Health Organization-Quality of Life instruments. Analysis was done by using univariate and bivariate on quantitative data, focus group discussion, and medical record review.FindingsThe participants’ mean age was 30.57 years, majority male, 50% graduated from senior high schools and were employed. Bivariate analysis resulted statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) in tendencies to seek treatment, participate more actively, maintain a good relationship with counselors during the program, and decrease the psychological problems of participants. The client’s social state, as well as adaptation to the program, were also amended.Originality/valueTGA-added TC approach was proven to improve clients’ behavioral changes, particularly in social functioning, program involvement and psychological conditions, in people with substance use disorders.

Retinal OCT speckle as a biomarker for glaucoma diagnosis and staging.

This paper presents a novel image analysis strategy that increases the potential of macular Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) by using speckle features as biomarkers in different stages of glaucoma. A large pool of features (480) were computed for a subset of macular OCT volumes of the Leuven eye study cohort. The dataset contained 258 subjects that were divided into four groups based on their glaucoma severity: Healthy (56), Mild (94), Moderate (48), and Severe (60). The OCT speckle features were categorized as statistical properties, statistical distributions, contrast, spatial gray-level dependence matrices, and frequency domain features. The averaged thicknesses of ten retinal layers were also collected. Kruskal-Wallis H test and multivariable regression models were used to infer the most significant features related to glaucoma severity classification and to the correlation with visual field mean deviation. Four features were selected as being the most relevant: the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and the inner plexiform layer (IPL) thicknesses, and two OCT speckle features, the data skewness computed on the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the scale parameter (a) of the generalized gamma distribution fitted to the GCL data. Based on a significance level of 0.05, the regression models revealed that RNFL skewness exhibited the highest significance among the features considered for glaucoma severity staging (p-values of 8.6×10-6 for the logistic model and 2.8×10-7 for the linear model). Furthermore, it demonstrated a strong negative correlation with the visual field mean deviation (ρ=-0.64). The post hoc analysis revealed that, when distinguishing healthy controls from glaucoma subjects, GCL thickness is the most relevant feature (p-value of 8.7×10-5). Conversely, when comparing the Mild versus Moderate stages of glaucoma, RNFL skewness emerged as the only feature exhibiting statistical significance (p-value = 0.001). This work shows that macular OCT speckle contains information that is currently not used in clinical practice, and not only complements structural measurements (thickness) but also has a potential for glaucoma staging.