Nevin Manimala

Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2023 Oct 20. doi: 10.1007/s00103-023-03788-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: More than 60 years after the enactment of the first Licensing Regulations for Dentists (ZÄPrO), a new Licensing Regulations for Dentists, the ZApprO, was implemented in 2020. The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the “Course in Technical Propaedeutics” (TPK) with the course “Dental Propaedeutics with a Focus on Dental Technology” (ZPDT), which are based on different legal foundations.

METHODS: The following parameters were compared after completion of the courses: (1) theoretical and practical knowledge, (2) regular department-internal learner evaluation, and (3) special evaluation of learning conditions by the learners and (4) by the instructors. The theoretical and practical exams and the questionnaires were analyzed in terms of their test-statistical characteristics (difficulty, discrimination index, internal consistency). Group comparisons between TPK and ZPDT were conducted using t‑tests for independent groups.

RESULTS: Significant differences were only detected in the students’ evaluation of their learning conditions, with theoretical and practical knowledge transfer being rated lower in the TPK than in the ZPDT.

DISCUSSION: The comparable results of the knowledge assessments and the regular learner evaluation, triangulated with the comprehensive learner and instructor evaluation, allowed a broad assessment of both courses. The significant differences identified provide opportunities for optimization of the newly implemented ZPDT course.

PMID:37864053 | DOI:10.1007/s00103-023-03788-z

Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 20;13(1):17933. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-43860-x.

ABSTRACT

According to WHO statistics, breast cancer (BC) disease represents about 2.3 million diagnosed and 685,000 deaths globally. Regarding histological classification of BC, the Estrogen (ER) and Progesterone (PR) receptors negative-expression cancer, named Triple-Negative BC (TNBC), represents the most aggressive type of this disease, making it a challenge for drug discovery. In this context, our research group, applying a well-established Virtual Screening (VS) protocol, in addition to docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies, yielded two ligands identified as 6 and 37 which were chemically synthesized and evaluated on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. Strikingly, 37 assayed on MDA-MB-231 (a TNBC cell model) depicted an outstanding value of 18.66 μM much lower than 65.67 μM yielded by Gossypol Bcl-2 inhibitor whose main disadvantage is to produce multiple toxic effects. Highlighted above, enforce the premise of the computational tools to find new therapeutic options against the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, as the results herein showed.

PMID:37863936 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-43860-x

Nat Commun. 2023 Oct 20;14(1):6667. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42367-3.

ABSTRACT

Traditional total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer requires partial resection of Denonvilliers’ fascia (DVF), which leads to injury of pelvic autonomic nerve and postoperative urogenital dysfunction. It is still unclear whether entire preservation of DVF has better urogenital function and comparable oncological outcomes. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the superiority of DVF preservation over resection (NCT02435758). A total of 262 eligible male patients were randomized to Laparoscopic TME with DVF preservation (L-DVF-P group) or resection procedures (L-DVF-R group), 242 of which completed the study, including 122 cases of L-DVF-P and 120 cases of L-DVF-R. The initial analysis of the primary outcomes of urogenital function has previously been reported. Here, the updated analysis and secondary outcomes including 3-year survival (OS), 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence rate between the two groups are reported for the modified intention-to-treat analysis, revealing no significant difference. In conclusion, L-DVF-P reveals better postoperative urogenital function and comparable oncological outcomes for male rectal cancer patients.

PMID:37863878 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-42367-3

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Oct 21. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-30077-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Safe drinking water sources are crucial for human health. Consequently, water quality management, including continuous monitoring of water quality and algae at sources, is critical to ensure the availability of safe water for local residents. This study aimed to construct statistical prediction models considering probability distributions relevant to cyanophyte cell counts and compare their prediction performance. In this study, water quality parameters at Juam Lake and Tamjin Lake, representative water sources in the Yeongsan and Seomjin rivers, South Korea, were investigated. We used a water quality monitoring network, algae alert system, and hydraulic and hydrological data measured every 7 days from January 2017 to December 2022 from the Water Environment Information System of the National Institute of Environmental Research. Using data for 2017-2021 as a training set and data for 2022 as a test set, the performances of seven models were compared for predicting cyanophyte cell counts. Environmental factors associated with algae in water sources were observed based on the monitoring data, and a prediction model appropriate for the cyanophyte distribution was generated, which also included the risk of toxicity. The extreme gradient boosting with the random forest model had the best predictive performance for cyanophyte cell counts. The study results are expected to facilitate water quality management in various water systems, including water sources.

PMID:37863853 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-023-30077-8

J Pediatr Nurs. 2023 Oct 18:S0882-5963(23)00286-5. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2023.10.009. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study was performed with the aim of investigating the correlation and the effective factors between internet addiction, obesity risk and sleep disorders in children.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: The sample for this descriptive and relational search type study comprised the parents of 458 children aged 7-10 years attending a primary school in Turkey. Data were collected the Parent and Child Descriptive Information Form, Family Child Internet Addiction Scale (FCIAS), Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Tool (FNPAT) and Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC).

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant, positive and weak correlation between the Body Mass Index (BMI) and FCIAS scores of children (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant, negative and very weak correlation between FNPAT total score with FCIAS total score (p = 0.007). There was a statistically significant, positive and moderate correlation between SDSC total score and FCIAS total score (p < 0.001). According to regression analysis, FCIAS was a determinant at significant levels for FNPAT and SDSC (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: There was a relationship between internet addiction and obesity and sleep quality. As a result of the study, the increase in internet use was determined to negatively impact physical activity and health nutrition behavior, and to increase sleep disturbance.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Pediatric nurses are recommended to give counseling to children and families about preventing obesity and the risk of sleep disorders by identifying children at risk in terms of internet addiction in the early period.

PMID:37863788 | DOI:10.1016/j.pedn.2023.10.009

Int Immunopharmacol. 2023 Oct 18;124(Pt B):111060. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111060. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis poses a significant threat to human health due to the lack of an effective vaccine. Although promising progress has been made in the development of tuberculosis vaccines, new vaccines that broaden the antigenic repertoire need to be developed to eradicate this illness. In this study, we used Mycobacterium tuberculosis ferritin BfrB and heat-shock protein GrpE to construct a novel multi-antigenic fusion protein, BfrB-GrpE (BG). BG protein was stably overexpressed in the soluble form in Escherichia coli at a high yield and purified via sequential salt fractionation and hydrophobic chromatography. Purified BG was emulsified in an adjuvant containing N, N’-dimethyl-N, N’-dioctadecylammonium bromide, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, and cholesterol (DPC) to construct the BG/DPC vaccine, which stimulated strong cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. Moreover, combination of BG with our previously developed vaccine, Mtb10.4-HspX (MH), containing antigens from both the proliferating and dormant stages, significantly reduced the bacterial counts in the lungs and spleens of M. tuberculosis-infected mice. Importantly, mice that received BG + MH/DPC after M. tuberculosis H37Rv infection survived slightly better (100% survival) than those that received the BCG vaccine (80% survival), although the difference was not statistically significant. Our findings can aid in the selection of antigens and optimization of vaccination regimens to improve the efficacy of tuberculosis vaccines.

PMID:37862738 | DOI:10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111060

J Neurosurg Spine. 2023 Oct 20:1-8. doi: 10.3171/2023.8.SPINE23450. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast lumbar bone quality and osteoporosis/osteopenia screening results via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), CT, and MRI.

METHODS: A consecutive series of 426 candidates screened for lumbar disc replacement over a 5-year period beginning in 2018 was reviewed. Patients with a preoperative lumbar spine DEXA scan and a CT and/or MRI scan were included. The primary outcome measures included the bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis or osteopenia classification from DEXA scans, Hounsfield units (HUs) for CT, and vertebral bone quality (VBQ) assessment for MRI. Patients were included if they had a DEXA scan within 1 year of an MRI or CT scan. DEXA BMD scores from composite or level-by-level reports were recorded. Asynchronous MRI and CT measurements were conducted using PACS. Interrater and intrarater reliability scores were generated for both CT and MRI measurements and ranged from 1.000 for MRI L1-4 scans to 0.683 for MRI VBQ.

RESULTS: All 3 types of scans were statistically significantly correlated with one another; however, CT was more strongly correlated with the lumbar DEXA value (r = 0.439, p < 0.001). The correlation between MRI VBQ and DEXA was -0.103, (p < 0.045). The CT level-by-level measurements correlate with the corresponding level-by-level DEXA BMD values (correlation ranging from 0.531 to 0.289, p < 0.001 to p = 0.007). CT HU values were more strongly related to osteoporosis/osteopenia classification based on DEXA T-scores than were MRI VBQ values. Receiver operating characteristic analyses found that the area under the curve was 0.817 for CT and 0.539 for MRI.

CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that CT HUs more closely correlate to DEXA scores than MRI VBQ in this population of patients undergoing surgery for symptomatic disc degeneration. Thus, CT may be an alternative to DEXA for assessing VBQ in this population.

PMID:37862719 | DOI:10.3171/2023.8.SPINE23450

J Neurosurg Spine. 2023 Oct 20:1-10. doi: 10.3171/2023.8.SPINE23427. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors are rare tumors characterized by neoplastic melanin-producing Schwann cells. In this study, the authors report their institution’s experience in treating spinal and peripheral malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors and compare their results with the literature.

METHODS: Data were collected from 8 patients who underwent surgical treatment for malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors between 1996 and 2023 at Mayo Clinic and 63 patients from the literature. Time-to-event analyses were performed for the combined group of 71 cases to evaluate the risk of recurrence, metastasis, and death based on tumor location and type of treatment received. Unpaired 2-sample t-tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine statistical significance between groups.

RESULTS: Between 1996 and 2023, 8 patients with malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors underwent surgery at the authors’ institution, while 63 patients were identified in the literature. The authors’ patients and those in the literature had the same mean age at diagnosis (43 years). At the authors’ institution, 5 patients (63%) experienced metastasis, 6 patients (75%) experienced long-term recurrence, and 5 patients (62.5%) died. In the literature, most patients (60.3%) were males, with a peak incidence between the 4th and 5th decades of life. Nineteen patients (31.1%) were diagnosed with Carney complex. Nerve root tumors accounted for most presentations (n = 39, 61.9%). Moreover, 24 patients (38.1%) had intradural lesions, with 54.2% (n = 13) being intramedullary and 45.8% (n = 11) extramedullary. Most patients underwent gross-total resection (GTR) (n = 41, 66.1%), followed by subtotal resection (STR) (n = 12, 19.4%), STR with radiation therapy (9.7%), and GTR with radiation therapy (4.8%). Sixteen patients (27.6%) experienced metastasis, 23 (39.7%) experienced recurrence, and 13 (22%) died. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed no significant differences among treatment approaches in terms of recurrence-free, metastasis-free, and overall survival (p > 0.05). Similar results were obtained when looking at the differences with respect to intradural versus nerve root location of the tumor (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors are rare tumors with a high potential for malignancy. They carry a dismal prognosis, with a pooled local recurrence rate of 42%, distant metastasis rate of 27%, and mortality rate of 26%. The findings from this study suggest a trend favoring the use of GTR alone or STR with radiation therapy over STR alone. Mortality was similar regardless, which highlights the need for the development of effective treatment options to improve survival in patients with melanotic schwannomas.

PMID:37862711 | DOI:10.3171/2023.8.SPINE23427

Inorg Chem. 2023 Oct 20. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02205. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Eutectic mixtures of choline chloride, urea, and water in deep eutectic solvent (DES)/water molar hydration ratios (w) of 2, 5, and 10, with dissolved cerium salt, were measured using neutron diffraction with isotopic substitution. Structures were modeled using empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR). Ce³⁺ was found to form highly charged complexes with a mean coordination number between 7 and 8, with the shell containing mostly chloride, followed by water. The shell composition is strongly affected by the molar ratio of dilution, as opposed to the mass or volume fraction, due to the high affinity of Cl^– and H₂O ligands that displace less favorable interactions with ligands such as urea and choline. The presence of Ce³⁺ salt disrupted the bulk DES structure slightly, making it more electrolyte-like. The measured coordination shell of choline showed significant discrepancies from the statistical noninteracting distribution, highlighting the nonideality of the blend. Cluster analysis revealed the trace presence of percolating water clusters (25 ≥ n ≥ 2) in solvent compositions of 5 and 10w for the first time.

PMID:37862703 | DOI:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02205

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2023 Nov 1;42(11):e411-e415. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004067. Epub 2023 Oct 11.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a heterogeneous immune-mediated process triggered by infections, vaccines, allergies and parasites. Currently, there is little evidence in the literature beyond case reports of an association with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii).

METHODS: The authors describe the unusual case of an earlier healthy 2.5-year-old Greek boy who developed acute ITP with a life-threatening platelet count a few days after a T. gondii infection. Evidence for the infection onset was found incidentally 3 months after the initial admission to the hospital and only after any other plausible cause of thrombocytopenia was excluded, according to diagnosis guidelines.

RESULTS: The boy underwent 3 intravenous immunoglobulin treatments within a trimester, a period during which his alarming platelets count levels led to housebound activities. A quite slow recovery was only ignited after the third treatment, which was administered in conjunction with a mild antibiotic medication for the T. gondii infection. Full recovery was obtained 9 months after the initial admission, although the boy’s potential scored high in clinical prediction models for developing transient ITP.

CONCLUSION: There is a need for more research on ITPs with no obvious cause to investigate a causal association with toxoplasmosis. Currently, testing for diseases of greater rarity and of higher diagnostic cost than T. gondii is included in the ITP guidelines. Hence, routinely testing for toxoplasmosis when considering potential childhood ITP triggers and infection treatment complementary to treating the ITP might be the key to accelerating the healing process and improving the quality of life of otherwise confined children.

PMID:37862699 | DOI:10.1097/INF.0000000000004067