BioMed Research International最新文献

Objectives: The radiographic assessment of the head is a crucial part of headache care. A computed tomography (CT) scan enables a more detailed analysis of the condition and more focused care. This study examined head CT scans to determine what kinds of anomalies were present in patients with headaches as their primary complaint. Methods: We evaluated 4 years' worth of CT scan data from head exams conducted at two diagnostic facilities in Ghana's western and central regions. We examined data on 477 patients with a headache as their primary complaint between January 2017 and December 2020. We employed chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (where applicable) to compare head CT diagnoses between age groups, gender, headache subtypes, and brain lesion subgroups. Results: There were 53.5% (n = 255) females and 46.5% (n = 222) males in the study. The average age of patients was 38.67 ± 17.23 years, with an annual rate of abnormal CT diagnoses ranging from 35.9% in 2017 to 45.4% in 2022. Abnormal head CT diagnoses are strongly correlated with age groups and patient gender (p = 0.011 and p = 0.009, respectively). Of the 202 patients, 15.3% and 24.3% were classified as intracranial lesions and extracranial lesions, respectively. Maxillary sinusitis affected nearly 60% of the patients, while tumors and hemorrhages affected 25.2% and 11.9%, respectively. Conclusions: A CT scan of the head is essential to detect abnormalities in nearly 50% of patients suffering from various degrees of headache. Sinusitis, brain tumors, and hemorrhage were common lesions detected. It is crucial to create local standard operating procedures to promote better utilization of this type of imaging service, particularly among patients who have been diagnosed with headaches.

Background: Analysing data on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in health facilities is an essential step to help develop effective strategies to reduce their incidence. The objective was to analyse spontaneous ADR reports sent to the Ghanaian Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) by two reporting health facilities over 5 years. Methods: Data from duplicate spontaneous ADR reports sent to the FDA (Ghana) from 2014 to 2018 were extracted. The relationship between independent variables such as age, sex, and source of drugs and ADR outcomes was assessed with either chi-square or a Cramer's V test for association where appropriate. Results: Type A reactions (65.2%) were the most prevalent of the ADRs, followed by Type B (34.1%), with the majority (80%) of patients affected recovering fully. The majority of Type A reactions (54.1%) occurred in the clinic, while the majority of Type B reactions (43.5%) occurred in the hospital. The skin and central nervous system (CNS) were the most affected (70.8%) organs. A higher incidence of CNS and skin-related ADRs was recorded in patients older than 30 (RR = 1.28 (1.07-1.53)). Also, females were more likely to experience a CNS-related ADR. The seriousness of the ADR was found to be significantly associated with the (1) type of prescriber, (2) whether the drug was prescribed, or (3) whether the drug regimen prescribed was appropriate. Even though, in 86% of cases, the offending drug was withdrawn within the first 5 days, it exceeded 20 days in about 6% of cases. The record of allergy status in a patient's folder and the source of the drug were significantly associated with the chance that the offending drug was withdrawn. However, recording ADRs did not influence whether the offending drug was stopped. Conclusion: Most of the ADRs experienced by patients could be avoided if the current systems are improved to prevent the rechallenge of offending drugs. Efforts to improve and update patient medication records and steps to ensure continuity of care are essential in preventing these adverse drug events.

Purpose: Dental reconstruction for patients diagnosed with severe mandibular bone atrophy using common dental implants is a challenging process. In such cases, surgeons may encounter challenges such as insufficient available bone, soft tissue, damage to the inferior alveolar nerve, and even the risk of bone fracture. In this study, a new design concept of mandibular patient-specific implants for severely atrophic ridges followed by finite element evaluation was presented to investigate the mechanical functionality of the concept. Method: The implant is comprised of two modular parts including an inferior border cover and a horseshoe-shaped structure. This horseshoe segment fits into the cover and is then screwed to it using two screws on each side. A 1 mm deflection was applied to a reference point located between the two anterior posts to extract the resulting Von Mises stress distribution in each part and the reaction force on the reference point which corresponds to the chewing force that the patient must apply to deform the horseshoe. This 1 mm gap is a design consideration and critical distance that horseshoe contacts the gingiva and disturbs the alveolar nerve. Results: The results revealed that load was transmitted from the horseshoe to the cover, and there were no stress contours on the body of the mandible. However, stress concentration was observed in screw locations in the mandible, the amount of which was decreased by increasing the number of used screws. In horseshoe, stress concentration values were around 350 MPa, and the measured reaction force on the reference point was just under 200 N. Conclusion: The finite element analysis results showed that this concept would be functional as the minimum load would be transmitted to the mandibular ridge, and since the patients diagnosed with atrophic ridge are not able to apply load to an amount near 200 N, the horseshoe would not contact the gingiva. Also, it is concluded that increasing the number of bone screw fixations would decrease the risk of long-term screw loosening.

Objective: To describe the profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae, identify research gaps, and provide in-depth insights into various aspects related to the pathogen. Methods: Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were searched for all studies on the pneumococcus in Ghana that reported on specimen collected, population and sample size, carriage prevalence, incidence of pneumococcal diseases, age of the study population, types of test performed, serotypes identified, antimicrobial susceptibilities, or molecular analysis on the pneumococci for data extraction. Results: Overall, a total of 7954 results were obtained from the three-database search, and of this, 24 articles were selected after screening. A total of 924 isolates were accounted for by serotyping/serogrouping. The prevalence of pneumococcal carriage in Ghana ranges from 11.0% to 51.4% in the population depending on the age (≤ 24-80 years), sickle cell disease (SCD), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, or health of the study population, and penicillin (Pen)-nonsusceptible isolates ranged from 17% to 63%. The prevalence of pneumococci found as the etiologic agent of diseases among Ghanaians ranges from 3.4% for otitis media to 77.7% for meningitis. Overall, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (PCV-13) carriage serotypes accounted for 28.4% of the reported pneumococcal isolates. PCV-13 invasive serotypes accounted for 22.4% of the reported isolates. The non-PCV-13 carriage serotypes accounted for most (43.9%) of the reported isolates. In the pre-PCV-13 era, the nontypeable (NT) (5.5%) and other nonvaccine types (NVTs) (6.4%) were reported as being predominant. The non-PCV-13 serotypes accounted for 4.4% of the reported isolates in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases. Multidrug resistance (MDR) ranged from 7.8% to 100%. Conclusion: Predicting the invasiveness of pneumococci using molecular typing is the way to go in the future as this will provide answers to the extent to which capsular switching is contributing to the pneumococcal disease burden in Ghana almost a decade after introducing PCV-13. Continuous monitoring of antibiotic resistance patterns at both phenotypic and genotypic levels, along with serotyping and molecular typing, should be a standard practice in the surveillance of pneumococcal disease burden in Ghana.

Background: Adhesion to zirconia remains a significant dental challenge. This study is aimed at assessing the bond strength of zirconia based on surface treatment with pre or postsintering sandblasting associated with different chemical treatments and resin cements. Methods: Zirconia blocks were divided into 12 experimental groups based on the surface treatment (presintering sandblasting or postsintering sandblasting/tribochemical abrasion treatment), chemical treatment (none, Single Bond Universal, or Signum Zirconia Bond), and choice of cement (Panavia F or RelyX™ U200). The bond strength was measured by shear tests using a universal testing machine. The fracture analysis was performed using stereomicroscopy. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 5%). Results: Triple and double factor's interactions were not significant (p > 0.05). Regarding the surface treatment factor, the bond strength following postsintering sandblasting treatment associated with tribochemical abrasion (9.15 ± 3.62 MPa) was significantly higher than presintering sandblasting treatment (5.24 ± 3.53 MPa). Concerning the chemical treatment factor, bond strengths were ranked as follows: Signum Zirconia Bond > Single Bond Universal > no treatment. The bond strength of the resin cements did not differ among them. Most fractures (67%) were classified as adhesive, and 32% were categorized as mixed fractures. Conclusion: Surface treatment via postsintering sandblasting combined with tribochemical abrasion demonstrated superior efficacy than in presintering sandblasting. Additionally, chemical treatment with zirconia primer increased the bond strength of zirconia irrespective of the surface physical treatment.

This study sought to examine the effects of systemic ozone (O₃) treatment on the healing of skin wounds induced on the dorsal surface of Wistar rats. The skin wounds were created using a 10 mm round punch following the sagittal medial plane in 72 rats. Then, the animals were randomly assigned to four groups, each receiving the following treatments: group C, which did not undergo treatment with the O₃/O₂ mixture; group OZ0.3, administered the O₃/O₂ mixture at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg; group OZ0.7, given the O₃/O₂ mixture at a dose of 0.7 mg/kg; and group OZ1.0, provided with the O₃/O₂ mixture at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg. Six animals from each group were euthanized at 7, 14, and 21 days postoperatively. Clinical, histological, histometric, and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were accomplished. Data from clinical and histometric assessments revealed that OZ0.7 and OZ1.0 demonstrated more favorable healing, with greater wound contraction observed in the OZ1.0 group at 14 and 21 days. Histologically, the OZ1.0 group exhibited aspects consistent with an accelerated tissue repair process. IHC analysis revealed greater vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining in the OZ0.7 (7 days) and OZ1.0 (7 and 14 days) groups compared to the C group. Expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 was significantly increased in the OZ0.7 (14 days) and OZ1.0 (7 and 14 days) groups compared to the C group. In conclusion, our data suggest that systemic use of O₃ enhanced tissue repair in cutaneous wounds in a dose-dependent manner, with concentrations of 1.0 mg/kg providing the most beneficial effects. Furthermore, the results of this study implicate the use of O₃ for the treatment of skin wounds aiming at improving the healing process over time. Our findings suggest the use of O₃ as a viable alternative to enhance wound healing and repair.

The development of technologies for the generation and transplantation of living skin equivalents (LSEs) is a significant area of translational medicine. Such functional equivalents can be used to model and study the morphogenesis of the skin and its derivatives, to test drugs, and to improve the healing of chronic wounds, burns, and other skin injuries. The evolution of LSEs over the past 50 years has demonstrated the leap in technology and quality and the shift from classical full-thickness LSEs to principled new models, including modification of classical models and skin organoids with skin derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) (hiPSCs). Modern methods and approaches make it possible to create LSEs that successfully mimic native skin, including derivatives such as hair follicles (HFs), sebaceous and sweat glands, blood vessels, melanocytes, and nerve cells. New technologies such as 3D and 4D bioprinting, microfluidic systems, and genetic modification enable achievement of new goals, cost reductions, and the scaled-up production of LSEs.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly prevalent and deadly brain tumor with high mortality rates, especially among adults. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms driving its progression remain poorly understood. Computational analysis offers a powerful approach to explore potential prognostic biomarkers, drug targets, and therapeutic agents for GBM. In this study, we utilized three gene expression datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with GBM progression. Our goal was to uncover key molecular players implicated in GBM pathogenesis and potential avenues for targeted therapy. Analysis of the gene expression datasets revealed a total of 78 common DEGs that are potentially involved in GBM progression. Through further investigation, we identified nine hub DEGs that are highly interconnected in protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, indicating their central role in GBM biology. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses provided insights into the biological processes and immunological pathways influenced by these DEGs. Among the nine identified DEGs, survival analysis demonstrated that increased expression of GMFG correlated with decreased patient survival rates in GBM, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker and preventive target for GBM. Furthermore, molecular docking and ADMET analysis identified two compounds from the NIH clinical collection that showed promising interactions with the GMFG protein. Besides, a 100 nanosecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulation evaluated the conformational changes and the binding strength. Our study highlights the potential of GMFG as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for GBM. The identification of GMFG and its associated pathways provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms driving GBM progression. Moreover, the identification of candidate compounds with potential interactions with GMFG offers exciting possibilities for targeted therapy development. However, further laboratory experiments are required to validate the role of GMFG in GBM pathogenesis and to assess the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents targeting this molecule.

Background: Low immunization and discrepancies in data sources have been a consistent challenge in Afghanistan. The objective of this was to estimate the coverage of immunization status among children of 12-23 months in urban settings of 12 provinces plus Kabul, Afghanistan in 2019. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the capital of 12 cities of polio high-risk provinces plus Kabul during October-December 2019. A two-stage cluster sampling was used to approach 30 clusters and interview seven households. The coverage for 13 vaccines against 10 childhood diseases prioritized by the Afghanistan Immunization program was assessed through observation of vaccine cards or by history from caregivers of children. Epi Info v.7.2.5 was used for data management and analysis. Results: Totally, 3382 caregivers of children aged 12-23 months, of whom 50.8% were boys, were interviewed. The literacy of mothers was 35%, and 86.4% were housewives with no formal employment. The average age of children was 17.07 ± 4.05 months. In total, 1261 (37.29%) children were fully vaccinated, 833 (54.2%) were partially vaccinated, and 288 (8.52%) did not receive any dose of routine vaccine. Of total, 71.82% had vaccination cards, 17.24% had lost them, and 11% had no cards. Generally, coverage of immunization by cards and history was 91.70% for BCG, 52% for Penta, 78% for OPV-4, 63% for PCV2, 61% for Rota2, 68.50% for measles 1, and 58% for IPV. Nangarhar and Kunar provinces have the highest and lowest immunization coverage, respectively. Lack of awareness and time was the main factor cited by partially vaccinated individuals, while misconceptions about vaccines were reported among the unvaccinated. Conclusion: Child immunization levels, varying across cities, were suboptimal in the study population. Realistic goal-setting and awareness campaigns are necessary to address the low immunization coverage and fight against barriers in Afghanistan.