The Scientific World Journal最新文献

Drug-resistant infections, such as colistin resistance, are reportedly increasing due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics, lack of good control, and the use of excessive quantities of antibiotics. Colistin resistance has been observed in bacteria of the order Enterobacterales exhibiting resistance to third-generation cephalosporins or carbapenems. Currently, the prevalence of colistin resistance in third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli obtained from patients at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, Thailand, in 2023 was determined by broth microdilution. Among 343 isolates, 1.45% (95% CI: 0.19%-2.73%, n = 5/343) exhibited a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of colistin between 4 and 8 μg/mL, indicating colistin-resistant E. coli. Nevertheless, five isolates were positive for resistant genes by multiplex PCR: two isolates for mcr-1, two isolates for mcr-3, and one isolate for both mcr-1 and mcr-3. This study reveals crucial data on resistance genes, informing surveillance of antibiotic resistance, treatment decisions, and public health initiatives to combat resistant bacteria.

Male sexual dysfunction is a common condition, typically managed with phosphodiesterase Type 5 inhibitors and testosterone replacement therapy. However, these treatments often have undesirable side effects and are expensive, prompting interest in plant-based alternatives. This study investigated the aphrodisiac and androgenic potential of Tribulus cistoides (T. cistoides) in a nicotine-induced model of sexual dysfunction in male Wistar rats. A total of 45 male rats were divided into nine groups (n = 5 per group). Group 1 served as the normal control; Group 2 received nicotine only (1 mg/kg) to induce dysfunction; Group 3 received sildenafil citrate (5 mg/kg) as a positive control. Groups 4-6 were administered nicotine plus aqueous extracts of T. cistoides at doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, respectively. Groups 7-9 received nicotine plus ethanol extracts at the same doses. Sexual behavior was assessed on Days 1, 5, and 9, and animals were sacrificed on Day 10 for biochemical and histological analyses. Outcomes measured included reproductive organ weights, serum levels of testosterone, FSH, LH, oxidative stress markers, testicular protein content, and seminal vesicle fructose levels. Nicotine exposure impaired sexual behavior, as evidenced by increased mount latency and decreased mount frequency, intromission frequency, and penile licking. However, treatment with the plant extract effectively reversed these effects, restoring the sexual behavior parameters toward normal levels. Nicotine also significantly reduced testosterone levels (0.079 ± 0.006 ng/mL), while T. cistoides extracts markedly restored hormone levels to 1.002 ± 0.165 ng/mL (aqueous) and 0.865 ± 0.041 ng/mL (ethanol) and improved nitric oxide levels, and gonadotropin concentrations. Additionally, the extracts restored testicular oxidative balance and enhanced reproductive tissue biochemistry. These effects are likely mediated by bioactive phytochemicals such as saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which may promote vasodilation, modulate hormone levels, and enhance nitric oxide production. Findings suggest that T. cistoides may offer a natural alternative for managing male sexual dysfunction with fewer side effects than conventional drugs.

Objective: The present study aims to evaluate and compare the tear strength of an indigenous platinum-based maxillofacial silicone material (Siloczest LSR [Liquid Silicone Rubber]) with and without the incorporation of 2%-2.5% zinc oxide nanoparticles, using an imported platinum-based silicone material (Technovent M511) as the benchmark control.

Methodology: Sixty-six unnicked 90° angle specimens (ASTM D624 [American Society for Material and Testing)) were fabricated and divided into three groups: Group A-Siloczest LSR without zinc oxide nanoparticles; Group B-Siloczest LSR with 2.5% zinc oxide nanoparticles; and Group C (control)-Technovent M511. Tear strength was evaluated using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM), and results were statistically analysed to compare the performance of the materials.

Results: Siloczest LSR showed significantly higher tear strength (22.64 N/mm) than Technovent (10.08 N/mm, p < 0.001). The addition of 2.5% ZnO nanoparticles reduced tear strength to 20.54 N/mm (p < 0.05), indicating no reinforcement benefit.

Conclusion: Siloczest LSR, an indigenous platinum-based maxillofacial silicone, exhibited higher tear strength than the imported Technovent material, supporting its potential use in clinical prosthetic applications as a cost-effective maxillofacial material. However, the addition of 2.5% zinc oxide nanoparticles did not improve tear strength and led to a slight reduction. These results highlight the need for further investigation into nanoparticle concentration and dispersion methods to optimize reinforcement without compromising the material's mechanical integrity and clinical validation.

The primary goal of this research is to use experimental and numerical methods to investigate the effects of water steam on the welded galvanized carbon steel mechanical properties, microstructures, and failure modes. Visual inspection, microstructural analysis, tensile test, free vibration analysis, and chemical composition analysis approaches have been used to investigate the effects of steam water treatment on the welding properties of butt arc-welded joints. From visual observation, the steam heating has significant effects in varying the microstructural arrangements of the welding. Furthermore, the elemental analysis indicates the variations of constituent elements due to the variations of steam treatment days, which affect the mechanical and microstructural properties of the material. The steam heating of the weld to a certain limit indicates the enhancement of elongation up to 20% and the amplitude during the free vibration tests. When the mechanical properties are assessed using a tensile test, the results showed that the welded specimens had up to 425 MPa ultimate tensile strength and the unwelded specimens showed up to 369 MPa ultimate tensile strength. Generally, the steam heating treatment and treatment time have significant effects on the properties of galvanized carbon steel welds. If additional treatment and controlling mechanisms can be implemented, the steam treatment will have a positive impact on the enhancement of the mechanical, corrosion, and other properties of the materials for different engineering applications. The finding of the study is that steam treatment enhanced weld ductility and tensile properties, indicating potential for augmenting weld performance in thermal cycling conditions.

Background: Immediate postabortion family planning uptake refers to the initiation and use of contraceptive methods immediately after an abortion treatment to prevent subsequent unintended pregnancy. Women should wait at least 6 months after having an abortion before becoming pregnant again, according to WHO recommendations, even if they are eager to have a child immediately. Despite this evidence, many postabortion clients leave healthcare institutions without receiving family planning advice or services. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the immediate postabortion family planning uptake and associated factors among women seeking abortion services.

Method: An institution-based, multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 women seeking abortion services in East Shewa Zone healthcare facilities from March 20 to May 25, 2022. A systematic sampling technique was employed to get a representative sample. Data were entered into EpiData Version 4.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Science Version 26 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were done to identify variables associated with the level of immediate postabortion family planning uptake in the binary logistic regression model. Statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Finally, tables, graphs, and narration were used to present the findings.

Result: In this study, the overall immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake was 70.1% (95% CI: 65.4, 74.6). Being single (AOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.8, 8.0), educational status (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4, 9.7), service received at public facility (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.1), previous information about family planning (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9), previous use of contraceptive method (AOR = 5.4; 95% CI: 2.9, 9.9), and postabortion family planning counseling (AOR = 5.7; 95% CI: 3.1, 10.4) were significantly associated with immediate postabortion family planning uptake.

Conclusion and recommendation: In this study, 29.9% lacked postabortion family planning uptake. Being single, educational status, service received at a public facility, previous information about family planning, previous use of a contraceptive method, and postabortion family planning counseling showed significant associations with immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake. Therefore, it is necessary to establish effective educational awareness and counseling aimed at promoting postabortion modern family planning uptake among the abortion service-seeking women.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2023/9964189.].

Background: In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), premature neonates frequently endure painful procedures that can lead to long-lasting sequelae, underscoring the critical need for safe and effective pain management strategies. Auricular massage has demonstrated significant benefits for children, including anxiety and stress relief. Investigating its effectiveness in alleviating pain in neonates could introduce a valuable nonpharmacological approach to pain management, enhancing the overall care and comfort of these vulnerable infants.

Objective: This research is aimed at studying the effectiveness of a 3-min session of auricular massage in reducing pain caused by nasal and oral suctioning among premature neonates in the NICU in Jordan.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial employing a single-blind crossover design was conducted in a single hospital. Preterm neonates were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In Condition I, neonates initially received auricular massage treatment after suctioning, followed, after 2 days, by no massage after suctioning. Conversely, in Condition II, neonates had the reversed sequence, starting with no massage and then receiving auricular massage treatment after 2 days. Pain levels in the neonates were assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) scale.

Results: Data from 60 preterm neonates were analyzed using the SPSS Version 28. Chi-square and independent t-tests revealed no significant differences between neonates in the study conditions based on gender (p = 0.43), gestational age (p = 0.41), and body weight (p = 0.35). Paired t-test results indicated a significant difference in pain scores when comparing periods of auricular massage to periods without massage. The mean pain score following auricular massage was 3.63 (SD = 2.36), whereas it was 10.23 (SD = 2.40) in the absence of massage.

Conclusion: Auricular massage for a 3-min duration is an effective nursing intervention that warrants consideration as a nonpharmacological method of pain relief for premature neonates during admission to the NICU.

Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr., or Wan Hom Daeng, is a medicinal plant valued for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Its bulbs contain flavonoids, phenolics, and naphthoquinones, but slow natural propagation and low seed viability hinder large-scale cultivation and conservation. This study evaluated the optimal Clorox concentration and exposure time for sterilizing E. palmifolia bulb explants and examined the effects of BA and NAA on in vitro shoot and root development. The results revealed that surface sterilization with 20% Clorox for 20 min yielded the highest explant survival rate at 73.33%. Shoot induction was significantly enhanced in MS medium supplemented with 2 or 4 mg/L BA, or a combination of 2 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA, all achieving a 100% shoot formation rate. Root induction was most effective in MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L NAA alone, also with a 100% success rate. These findings establish a reliable and efficient protocol for the in vitro propagation of E. palmifolia, providing a foundation for its conservation, sustainable use, and potential commercial cultivation to meet increasing demand in the medicinal plant sector.

Background: This study explored the potential of Psorospermum febrifugum extracts as a promising natural treatment option for acne vulgaris. Previous research suggests that P. febrifugum extracts might hold promise against factors that worsen acne vulgaris. This valuable information is however still scattered across various scientific publications, and this has hindered its accessibility, comprehensive understanding, and easy usage. There is need to review, synthesize, and compile this valuable information into a user-friendly article to enable easy understanding, accessibility, and usability of P. febrifugum bark extract as an option to treat acne vulgaris.

Methods: A comprehensive assessment, synthesis, and compilation of the potential of P. febrifugum for treatment of acne vulgaris were conducted through review of work done across major scientific databases (Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar), among studies published in English between April 1980 and April 2022. The search focused on studies that investigated the plant description, traditional medicinal usage, active components of P. febrifugum, its safety profile, and its efficacy against factors contributing to acne vulgaris lesions. The study included in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and clinical trials while excluding computer-modeled (in silico) studies.

Results: From an initial 200 search results, 37 full-text articles inclusive of three informative abstracts met the inclusion criteria. The review revealed that P. febrifugum extracts possessed several properties beneficial for acne treatment, including anti-inflammatory response, antibacterial properties, antioxidant activity, antilipase activity, and keratolytic properties (promoting skin cell shedding). Notably, key bioactive compounds such as garcinone E, psorospermin, mangiferin, and betulinic acid exhibit distinct structural features, including prenylation and hydroxylation, that contribute to their ability to inhibit microbial growth, suppress inflammation, regulate lipid metabolism, and all critical pathways in acne pathogenesis. These structural-functional relationships between phytochemicals and acne mechanisms support the pharmacological promise of this plant extract.

Conclusion: The review suggests that P. febrifugum holds significant therapeutic potential against factors that aggravate acne vulgaris severity. The stem bark of P. febrifugum is therefore a promising raw material that could be used to develop topical formulations (gels or creams) for the treatment of acne vulgaris disease.

Objective: Although caregiver assistance is generally assumed to improve the mental health of individuals with disabilities, this relationship has not been evaluated using population-based data. This study was aimed at assessing the association between caregiver assistance and depression among individuals with disabilities in Chile in 2015.

Methods: A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the 2015 Second National Study on Disability (ENDISC II) in Chile. The primary outcome was depression diagnosed by a physician or health professional. The main exposure variable was caregiver assistance. Additional confounding variables were included in the analysis.

Results: The analysis included data from 2610 individuals with disabilities. In the overall sample, caregiver assistance was not associated with depression. However, stratified analysis by disability severity showed that among individuals with severe disabilities, caregiver assistance was associated with a 27% reduction in the prevalence of depression (PR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59-0.89), after adjusting for confounding variables.

Conclusions: Among individuals with severe disabilities in Chile, caregiver assistance appears to reduce the likelihood of depression. Healthcare policies should promote and strengthen both formal and informal caregiving for this vulnerable population.