| 21. |
- Abdelrahim, Nada Abdelghani, et al.
(författare)
-
Viral meningitis in Sudanese children : differentiation, etiology and review of literature
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Medicine. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0025-7974 .- 1536-5964. ; 101:46
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Diagnosis of viral meningitis (VM) is uncommon practice in Sudan and there is no local viral etiological map. We therefore intended to differentiate VM using standardized clinical codes and determine the involvement of herpes simplex virus types-1 and 2 (HSV-1/2), varicella zoster virus, non-polio human enteroviruses (HEVs), and human parechoviruses in meningeal infections in children in Sudan. This is a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Viral meningitis was differentiated in 503 suspected febrile attendee of Omdurman Hospital for Children following the criteria listed in the Clinical Case Definition for Aseptic/Viral Meningitis. Patients were children age 0 to 15 years. Viral nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) were extracted from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens using QIAamp® UltraSens Virus Technology. Complementary DNA was prepared from viral RNA using GoScriptTM Reverse Transcription System. Viral nucleic acids were amplified and detected using quantitative TaqMan® Real-Time and conventional polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Hospital diagnosis of VM was assigned to 0%, when clinical codes were applied; we considered 3.2% as having VM among the total study population and as 40% among those with proven infectious meningitis. Two (0.4%) out of total 503 CSF specimens were positive for HSV-1; Ct values were 37.05 and 39.10 and virus copies were 652/PCR run (261 × 103/mL CSF) and 123/PCR run (49.3 × 103/mL CSF), respectively. Other 2 (0.4%) CSF specimens were positive for non-polio HEVs; Ct values were 37.70 and 38.30, and the approximate virus copies were 5E2/PCR run (~2E5/mL CSF) and 2E2/PCR run (~8E4/mL CSF), respectively. No genetic materials were detected for HSV-2, varicella zoster virus, and human parechoviruses. The diagnosis of VM was never assigned by the hospital despite fulfilling the clinical case definition. Virus detection rate was 10% among cases with proven infectious meningitis. Detected viruses were HSV-1 and non-polio HEVs. Positive virus PCRs in CSFs with normal cellular counts were seen.
|
|
| 22. |
- Abdelrahman, Kholoud N., et al.
(författare)
-
Anthocyanins from pomegranate peel (Punica granatum), chili pepper fruit (Capsicum annuum), and bougainvillea flowers (Bougainvillea spectabilis) with multiple biofunctions : antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Heliyon. - : Elsevier. - 2405-8440. ; 10:11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Natural colorants, including natural pigments, e.g., anthocyanins, carotenoids, and chlorophylls, in novel and attractive food matrixes have become a popular trend. They impart favorite colors to food products and provide significant therapeutic effects. This study is aimed at extracting and identifying some natural pigments from different plant sources and evaluating their ability as antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities.Methods: The anthocyanin-rich extract (ARE) is derived from three natural plant sources: pomegranate peel (Punica granatum), chili pepper fruit (Capsicum annuum), and Bougainvillea flowers. Bougainvillea spectabilis are analyzed for biochemical composition, as well as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activity, HPLC, DPPH, FRAP, disc diffusion assay, MIC, MTT, VEGFR‐2, and caspase-9 assays.Results: All three extracts had varying total phenolic contents, ranging from 14 to 466 mg GAE/g extract, where Punica granatum was the highest (466 mg GAE/g extract), followed by Bougainvillea spectabilis (180 mg GAE/g extract), and then Capsicum annuum (14 mg GAE/g extract). The antioxidant activity rose steadily with raising concentration. The ARE of pomegranate peels recorded highest value, followed by Bougainvillea flowers and chili pepper fruit. The MTT assay revealed an inhibitory action of the tested extracts on the proliferation of HCT-116, MCF-7, and HepG2 in a concentration-based manner. Gene expression of caspase-9 transcripts was considerably multiplied by the application of ARE of pomegranate peels. All the tested extracts inhibited VEGFR-2, and the inhibition (%) expanded gradually with increasing concentrations, achieving the highest value (80 %) at 10 μg/mL. The ARE of pomegranate peels scored highest antibacterial activity, followed by ARE of chili pepper fruit and Bougainvillea flowers. The inhibition zone diameter escalated gradually with rising concentrations of the tested samples.Conclusion: The AREs of the three studied plant sources can be used as multifunctional products with antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial activities that are natural, safe, and cheap.
|
|
| 23. |
- Abdelsayed, Mena, et al.
(författare)
-
Left Ventricular Contraction Duration Is the Most Powerful Predictor of Cardiac Events in LQTS : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Medicine. - : MDPI. - 2077-0383. ; 9:9
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is primarily an electrical disorder characterized by a prolonged myocardial action potential. The delay in cardiac repolarization leads to electromechanical (EM) abnormalities, which adds a diagnostic value for LQTS. Prolonged left ventricular (LV) contraction was identified as a potential risk for arrhythmia. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the best predictor of all EM parameters for cardiac events (CEs) in LQTS patients. Methods: We systematically searched all electronic databases up to March 2020, to select studies that assessed the relationship between echocardiographic indices—contraction duration (CD), mechanical dispersion (MD), QRS onset to peak systolic strain (QAoC), and the EM window (EMW); and electrical indices— corrected QT interval (QTC), QTC dispersion, RR interval in relation to CEs in LQTS. This meta-analysis included a total of 1041 patients and 373 controls recruited from 12 studies. Results: The meta-analysis showed that LQTS patients had electrical and mechanical abnormalities as compared to controls—QTC, WMD 72.8; QTC dispersion, WMD 31.7; RR interval, WMD 91.5; CD, WMD 49.2; MD, WMD 15.9; QAoC, WMD 27.8; and EMW, WMD −62.4. These mechanical abnormalities were more profound in symptomatic compared to asymptomatic patients in whom disturbances were already manifest, compared to controls. A CD ≥430 ms had a summary sensitivity (SS) of 71%, specificity of 84%, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) >19.5 in predicting CEs. EMW and QTC had a lower accuracy. Conclusions: LQTS is associated with pronounced EM abnormalities, particularly prolonged LV myocardial CD, which is profound in symptomatic patients. These findings highlight the significant role of EM indices like CD in managing LQTS patients.
|
|
| 24. |
- Abdi, Yakoub Aden, et al.
(författare)
-
Mental health care delivery in poor settings through trained female community health workers : a five-year intervention program in Somaliland
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Somali Health Action Journal. - Umeå : Umeå University. - 2004-1985. ; 1:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The situation of mental health globally is alarming particularly in developing countries. In Somaliland/Somalia, every third person may be suffering from some sort of mental illness according to the World Health Organization. Major barriers to improve mental health include stigma and lack of skilled human resources.Objectives: The aim was to explore the feasibility of organizing integrated community-based mental, epilepsy and mother and child health services delivered by trained female community health workers (FCHWs) in three urban sites (Borama, Baki and Dila) in the Awdal Region, Somaliland.Methods: After selection of the 3 project sites and recruitment and training of project staff, a baseline survey was carried out. First, the sites were properly mapped based on existing geographical administrative sectors and sub-sectors of the sites. Then a representative sample of 2,722 households was randomly selected from all the 3 sites. The female head of each of those households were then interviewed using a questionnaire containing 22 questions on the target groups. The questionnaire responses were coded, and data analysed using Statistical software program, SPSS. After the baseline survey, the FCHWs were deployed in the sites assigning a specified area to each female worker. The FCHWs worked 6 hours per day 6 days per week and were required to visit 6 families each day including follow-ups. Their activities included identification of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) or with epilepsy, counselling, distribution of medications, follow-up of patients already on medication, referral, stigma reduction and documentation of their daily activities in logbooks.Results: The baseline study showed that 12% of the households were taking care of at least one person with SMI each, while 7% had one person with epilepsy each. Of the patients with SMI, 18% were on chains. During the project period (2015-2019), the number of people with SMI or with epilepsy who benefited from the project was 2.225 and 738 respectively and their families empowered through increased mental health awareness. Among the patients with SMI, 237 were on chains before intervention and 85% of them were successfully released from their shackles.Conclusions: This project has shown that deployment of trained and supported FCHWs can be used to reduce the mental health care gap in Somaliland. It is suggested as a model project which could, hopefully, be replicated and tested in other similar settings.
|
|
| 25. |
- Abdipour, Morteza, 1977-
(författare)
-
Arrangement Design Studies : the introduction of the digital wall in domestic environments
- 2021
-
Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This research focuses on the emergence of 'digital walls' that can project images onto almost all or even the entirety of interior (and perhaps exterior) walls, and what implications this might have for how we arrange our rooms. It demonstrates the arrangement, i.e., the way that domestic products are arranged physically, of rooms changes in the domestic environment in a complex scenario when using large screens. Due to the fast-growing demand for large screens, this product could potentially be available to be used by people in their home environments; however, it does not yet exist in reality at this scale. Constructing large screens can be carried out using different production methods. Here, this concept is called the digital wall, a very thin wall-sized interactive screen. The characteristics of the digital wall will vary to be able to create different scenarios. One such scenario is a space in the home where the surface of the wall is covered with screens, which allows multiple possibilities to experience and interact with digital content. In this research, the social gathering space of homes, nowadays called the living room, is considered as a highly relevant space for installing the digital wall. In this space, the conceptual framework outlines the basic elements of the research and demonstrates the relationships between people’s interactions with the digital wall and domestic products in the domestic environment. I show two examples from design history to understand how arrangement changes impact the home environment: the transformation of the parlor to the living room, and entry of the television into the living room. These two examples are focused on the place in the home where people gather for socializing. The discussion of these examples led to the elaboration of the relationships between the elements in the conceptual framework.I explored relevant design research methodologies to bring this future scenario into the present to understand the relationships between people and the digital wall. I applied research through design and the constructive design research approaches to frame the design research methodology. In this thesis, I set up seven series of design studies in two cluster groups: Supportive studies and Main studies. All of the design studies were conducted in the Design Research Lab, the actual space for carrying out the design experiments, prototyping the digital wall, and the setting of the experiments for user participation. The Lab was fully equipped with relevant technology and allowed me to use multiple methods to collect data while people were experiencing the design study sessions. The Lab was useful as a platform to understand user experiences, barriers for interactions as well as people's experiences in a simulated space of a domestic environment. The main contribution of this research is to understand the forms of arrangement changes when people use the digital wall in homes. The research demonstrates two significant implications that are seen in two forms of arrangements: tangible arrangement and imperceptible arrangement. These findings are useful for both designers and users of the elements of domestic contexts and the relations that can be shaped by the presence of a digital wall in home environments. This understanding may provide design guidelines in future scenarios in which the digital wall is used in homes. The findings are also beneficial for designing the domestic environment, improving the arrangement of space, and raising the requirements for designing domestic products.
|
|
| 26. |
- Abdulla, Maysaa, et al.
(författare)
-
Cell-of-origin determined by both gene expression profiling and immunohistochemistry is the strongest predictor of survival in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
- 2020
-
Ingår i: American Journal of Hematology. - : Wiley. - 0361-8609 .- 1096-8652. ; 95:1, s. 57-67
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The tumor cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) are considered to originate from germinal center derived B-cells (GCB) or activated B-cells (ABC). Gene expression profiling (GEP) is preferably used to determine the cell of origin (COO). However, GEP is not widely applied in clinical practice and consequently, several algorithms based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) have been developed. Our aim was to evaluate the concordance of COO assignment between the Lymph2Cx GEP assay and the IHC-based Hans algorithm, to decide which model is the best survival predictor. Both GEP and IHC were performed in 359 homogenously treated Swedish and Danish DLBCL patients, in a retrospective multicenter cohort. The overall concordance between GEP and IHC algorithm was 72%; GEP classified 85% of cases assigned as GCB by IHC, as GCB, while 58% classified as non-GCB by IHC, were categorized as ABC by GEP. There were significant survival differences (overall survival and progression-free survival) if cases were classified by GEP, whereas if cases were categorized by IHC only progression-free survival differed significantly. Importantly, patients assigned as non-GCB/ABC both by IHC and GEP had the worst prognosis, which was also significant in multivariate analyses. Double expression of MYC and BCL2 was more common in ABC cases and was associated with a dismal outcome. In conclusion, to determine COO both by IHC and GEP is the strongest outcome predictor to identify DLBCL patients with the worst outcome.
|
|
| 27. |
- Abdullah Nasir, Ahmad, et al.
(författare)
-
Ligand-specific regulation of transforming growth factor beta superfamily factors by leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains proteins
- 2023
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 18:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains (LRIG) are transmembrane proteins shown to promote bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and mammals. BMPs comprise a subfamily of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily, or TGFβ family, of ligands. In mammals, LRIG1 and LRIG3 promote BMP4 signaling. BMP6 signaling, but not BMP9 signaling, is also regulated by LRIG proteins, although the specific contributions of LRIG1, LRIG2, and LRIG3 have not been investigated, nor is it known whether other mammalian TGFβ family members are regulated by LRIG proteins. To address these questions, we took advantage of Lrig-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with doxycycline-inducible LRIG1, LRIG2, and LRIG3 alleles, which were stimulated with ligands representing all the major TGFβ family subgroups. By analyzing the signal mediators pSmad1/5 and pSmad3, as well as the induction of Id1 expression, we showed that LRIG1 promoted BMP2, BMP4, and BMP6 signaling and suppressed GDF7 signaling; LRIG2 promoted BMP2 and BMP4 signaling; and LRIG3 promoted BMP2, BMP4, BMP6, and GDF7 signaling. BMP9 and BMP10 signaling was not regulated by individual LRIG proteins, however, it was enhanced in Lrig-null cells. LRIG proteins did not regulate TGFβ1-induced pSmad1/5 signaling, or GDF11- or TGFβ1-induced pSmad3 signaling. Taken together, our results show that some, but not all, TGFβ family ligands are regulated by LRIG proteins and that the three LRIG proteins display differential regulatory effects. LRIG proteins thereby provide regulatory means for the cell to further diversify the signaling outcomes generated by a limited number of TGFβ family ligands and receptors.
|
|
| 28. |
- Abdullah Nasir, Ahmad, et al.
(författare)
-
Netrin-1 functions as a suppressor of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 11:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Netrin-1 is a secreted protein that is well known for its involvement in axonal guidance during embryonic development and as an enhancer of cancer cell metastasis. Despite extensive efforts, the molecular mechanisms behind many of the physiological functions of netrin-1 have remained elusive. Here, we show that netrin-1 functions as a suppressor of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in various cellular systems, including a mutually inhibitory interaction with the BMP-promoting function of leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains (LRIG) proteins. The BMP inhibitory function of netrin-1 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts was dependent on the netrin receptor neogenin, with the expression level regulated by both netrin-1 and LRIG proteins. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized function of netrin-1 that may help to explain several of the developmental, physiological, and cancer-promoting functions of netrins at the signal transduction level.
|
|
| 29. |
- Abdullahi, Mohamed Farah, et al.
(författare)
-
Factors contributing to the uptake of childhood vaccination in Galkayo District, Puntland, Somalia
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 13:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: As in many Sub-Saharan African countries, the health system in Somalia is not operating at the capacity needed to lift childhood vaccination coverage to ninety percent or above, as recommended by United Nations Children's Fund. Current national estimates of coverage for the six major vaccine preventable childhood diseases range from thirty to sixty percent. Infectious disease outbreaks continue to pose significant challenges for the country's health authorities.OBJECTIVE: This important qualitative study, conducted in Galkayo District, Somalia, investigates limiting factors associated with childhood vaccination uptake from the perspective of both communities and health care workers.METHODS: Qualitative information was collected through six focus group discussions with parents (n = 48) and five one-to-one interviews with health workers (n = 15) between March and May 2017, in three settings in the Galkayo District - Galkayo city, Bayra and Bacadwayn.RESULTS: From a health system perspective, the factors are: awareness raising, hard to reach areas, negative attitudes and perceived knowledge of health workers, inadequate supplies and infrastructure, and missed vaccination opportunities. From the perspective of individuals and communities the factors are: low trust in vaccines, misinterpretation of religious beliefs, vaccine refusals, Somalia's patriarchal system and rumours and misinformation. Parents mostly received immunization information from social mobilizers and health facilities. Fathers, who are typically family decision-makers, were poorly informed. The findings highlight the need for in-service training to enable health workers to improve communication with parents, particularly fathers, peripheral communities and local religious leaders.CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing knowledge and awareness of vaccination among parents is crucial. Fathers' involvement is lacking. This may be boosted by highlighting fathers' obligation to protect their children's health through vaccination. It is also important that men engage with the wider community in decision-making and advance towards the global vaccination targets.
|
|
| 30. |
- Abé, Christoph, et al.
(författare)
-
Brain structure and clinical profile point to neurodevelopmental factors involved in pedophilic disorder
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 143:4, s. 363-374
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Pedophilic disorder (PD) is characterized bypersistent, intense sexual attraction to prepubertal children that the individual has acted on, or causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty. Although prior research suggests that PD has neurodevelopmental underpinnings, the evidence remains sparse. To aid the understanding of etiology and treatment development, we quantified neurobiological and clinical correlates of PD.Method: We compared 55 self-referred, help-seeking, non-forensic male patients with DSM-5 PD with 57 age-matched, healthy male controls (HC) on clinical, neuropsychological, and structural brain imaging measures (cortical thickness and surface area, subcortical and white matter volumes). Structural brain measures were related to markers for aberrant neurodevelopment including IQ, and the 2nd to 4th digit ratio (2D:4D).Results: PD was associated with psychiatric disorder comorbidity and ADHD and autism spectrum disorder symptoms. PD patients had lower total IQ than HC. PD individuals exhibited cortical surface area abnormalities in regions belonging to the brain's default mode network and showed abnormal volume of white matter underlying those regions. PD subjects had smaller hippocampi and nuclei accumbens than HC. Findings were not related to history of child-related sexual offending. IQ correlated negatively with global expression of PD-related brain features and 2D:4D correlated with surface area in PD.Conclusions: In the largest single-center study to date, we delineate psychiatric comorbidity, neurobiological and cognitive correlates of PD. Our morphometric findings, their associations with markers of aberrant neurodevelopment, and psychiatric comorbidities suggest that neurodevelopmental mechanisms are involved in PD. The findings may need consideration in future development of clinical management of PD patients.
|
|
