| 1. |
- Thomas, HS, et al.
(author)
-
- 2019
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Drake, TM, et al.
(author)
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Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in children: an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study
- 2020
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In: BMJ global health. - : BMJ. - 2059-7908. ; 5:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, there is a lack of data available about SSI in children worldwide, especially from low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of SSI in children and associations between SSI and morbidity across human development settings.MethodsA multicentre, international, prospective, validated cohort study of children aged under 16 years undergoing clean-contaminated, contaminated or dirty gastrointestinal surgery. Any hospital in the world providing paediatric surgery was eligible to contribute data between January and July 2016. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI by 30 days. Relationships between explanatory variables and SSI were examined using multilevel logistic regression. Countries were stratified into high development, middle development and low development groups using the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI).ResultsOf 1159 children across 181 hospitals in 51 countries, 523 (45·1%) children were from high HDI, 397 (34·2%) from middle HDI and 239 (20·6%) from low HDI countries. The 30-day SSI rate was 6.3% (33/523) in high HDI, 12·8% (51/397) in middle HDI and 24·7% (59/239) in low HDI countries. SSI was associated with higher incidence of 30-day mortality, intervention, organ-space infection and other HAIs, with the highest rates seen in low HDI countries. Median length of stay in patients who had an SSI was longer (7.0 days), compared with 3.0 days in patients who did not have an SSI. Use of laparoscopy was associated with significantly lower SSI rates, even after accounting for HDI.ConclusionThe odds of SSI in children is nearly four times greater in low HDI compared with high HDI countries. Policies to reduce SSI should be prioritised as part of the wider global agenda.
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| 5. |
- Ruilope, LM, et al.
(author)
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Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Finerenone in Reducing Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease Trial
- 2019
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In: American journal of nephrology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9670 .- 0250-8095. ; 50:5, s. 345-356
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- <b><i>Background:</i></b> Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. <b><i>Patients and</i></b> <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 to ≤5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level α = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Walters, R G, et al.
(author)
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A new highly penetrant form of obesity due to deletions on chromosome 16p11.2.
- 2010
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 463:7281, s. 671-5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Obesity has become a major worldwide challenge to public health, owing to an interaction between the Western 'obesogenic' environment and a strong genetic contribution. Recent extensive genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with obesity, but these loci together account for only a small fraction of the known heritable component. Thus, the 'common disease, common variant' hypothesis is increasingly coming under challenge. Here we report a highly penetrant form of obesity, initially observed in 31 subjects who were heterozygous for deletions of at least 593 kilobases at 16p11.2 and whose ascertainment included cognitive deficits. Nineteen similar deletions were identified from GWAS data in 16,053 individuals from eight European cohorts. These deletions were absent from healthy non-obese controls and accounted for 0.7% of our morbid obesity cases (body mass index (BMI) >or= 40 kg m(-2) or BMI standard deviation score >or= 4; P = 6.4 x 10(-8), odds ratio 43.0), demonstrating the potential importance in common disease of rare variants with strong effects. This highlights a promising strategy for identifying missing heritability in obesity and other complex traits: cohorts with extreme phenotypes are likely to be enriched for rare variants, thereby improving power for their discovery. Subsequent analysis of the loci so identified may well reveal additional rare variants that further contribute to the missing heritability, as recently reported for SIM1 (ref. 3). The most productive approach may therefore be to combine the 'power of the extreme' in small, well-phenotyped cohorts, with targeted follow-up in case-control and population cohorts.
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| 9. |
- Lissek, T, et al.
(author)
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Building Bridges through Science
- 2017
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In: Neuron. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-4199 .- 0896-6273. ; 96:4, s. 730-735
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 10. |
- Ademuyiwa, Adesoji O., et al.
(author)
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Determinants of morbidity and mortality following emergency abdominal surgery in children in low-income and middle-income countries
- 2016
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In: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2059-7908. ; 1:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Child health is a key priority on the global health agenda, yet the provision of essential and emergency surgery in children is patchy in resource-poor regions. This study was aimed to determine the mortality risk for emergency abdominal paediatric surgery in low-income countries globally.Methods: Multicentre, international, prospective, cohort study. Self-selected surgical units performing emergency abdominal surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive children aged <16 years during a 2-week period between July and December 2014. The United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI) was used to stratify countries. The main outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality, analysed by multilevel logistic regression.Results: This study included 1409 patients from 253 centres in 43 countries; 282 children were under 2 years of age. Among them, 265 (18.8%) were from low-HDI, 450 (31.9%) from middle-HDI and 694 (49.3%) from high-HDI countries. The most common operations performed were appendectomy, small bowel resection, pyloromyotomy and correction of intussusception. After adjustment for patient and hospital risk factors, child mortality at 30 days was significantly higher in low-HDI (adjusted OR 7.14 (95% CI 2.52 to 20.23), p<0.001) and middle-HDI (4.42 (1.44 to 13.56), p=0.009) countries compared with high-HDI countries, translating to 40 excess deaths per 1000 procedures performed.Conclusions: Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries. Effective provision of emergency essential surgery should be a key priority for global child health agendas.
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| 11. |
- Ibrahim, Mahmoud A. A., et al.
(author)
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In Silico Mining of Terpenes from Red-Sea Invertebrates for SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease (M-pro) Inhibitors
- 2021
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In: Molecules. - : MDPI AG. - 1431-5157 .- 1420-3049. ; 26:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent for the COVID-19 pandemic, which generated more than 1.82 million deaths in 2020 alone, in addition to 83.8 million infections. Currently, there is no antiviral medication to treat COVID-19. In the search for drug leads, marine-derived metabolites are reported here as prospective SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors. Two hundred and twenty-seven terpene natural products isolated from the biodiverse Red-Sea ecosystem were screened for inhibitor activity against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M-pro) using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations combined with molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area binding energy calculations. On the basis of in silico analyses, six terpenes demonstrated high potency as M-pro inhibitors with Delta G(binding) <= -40.0 kcal/mol. The stability and binding affinity of the most potent metabolite, erylosides B, were compared to the human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor, lopinavir. Erylosides B showed greater binding affinity towards SARS-CoV-2 M-pro than lopinavir over 100 ns with Delta G(binding) values of -51.9 vs. -33.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Protein-protein interactions indicate that erylosides B biochemical signaling shares gene components that mediate severe acute respiratory syndrome diseases, including the cytokine- and immune-signaling components BCL2L1, IL2, and PRKC. Pathway enrichment analysis and Boolean network modeling were performed towards a deep dissection and mining of the erylosides B target-function interactions. The current study identifies erylosides B as a promising anti-COVID-19 drug lead that warrants further in vitro and in vivo testing.
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| 12. |
- Ibrahim, Mahmoud A. A., et al.
(author)
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Blue Biotechnology : Computational Screening of Sarcophyton Cembranoid Diterpenes for SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibition
- 2021
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In: Marine Drugs. - : MDPI. - 1660-3397. ; 19:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The coronavirus pandemic has affected more than 150 million people, while over 3.25 million people have died from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As there are no established therapies for COVID-19 treatment, drugs that inhibit viral replication are a promising target; specifically, the main protease (M-pro) that process CoV-encoded polyproteins serves as an Achilles heel for assembly of replication-transcription machinery as well as down-stream viral replication. In the search for potential antiviral drugs that target M-pro, a series of cembranoid diterpenes from the biologically active soft-coral genus Sarcophyton have been examined as SARS-CoV-2 M-pro inhibitors. Over 360 metabolites from the genus were screened using molecular docking calculations. Promising diterpenes were further characterized by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) binding energy calculations. According to in silico calculations, five cembranoid diterpenes manifested adequate binding affinities as M-pro inhibitors with Delta G(binding) < -33.0 kcal/mol. Binding energy and structural analyses of the most potent Sarcophyton inhibitor, bislatumlide A (340), was compared to darunavir, an HIV protease inhibitor that has been recently subjected to clinical-trial as an anti-COVID-19 drug. In silico analysis indicates that 340 has a higher binding affinity against M-pro than darunavir with Delta G(binding) values of -43.8 and -34.8 kcal/mol, respectively throughout 100 ns MD simulations. Drug-likeness calculations revealed robust bioavailability and protein-protein interactions were identified for 340; biochemical signaling genes included ACE, MAPK14 and ESR1 as identified based on a STRING database. Pathway enrichment analysis combined with reactome mining revealed that 340 has the capability to re-modulate the p38 MAPK pathway hijacked by SARS-CoV-2 and antagonize injurious effects. These findings justify further in vivo and in vitro testing of 340 as an antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Sudre, C. H., et al.
(author)
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Symptom clusters in COVID-19 : A potential clinical prediction tool from the COVID Symptom Study app
- 2021
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In: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 7:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As no one symptom can predict disease severity or the need for dedicated medical support in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we asked whether documenting symptom time series over the first few days informs outcome. Unsupervised time series clustering over symptom presentation was performed on data collected from a training dataset of completed cases enlisted early from the COVID Symptom Study Smartphone application, yielding six distinct symptom presenta- tions. Clustering was validated on an independent replication dataset between 1 and 28 May 2020. Using the first 5 days of symptom logging, the ROC-AUC (receiver operating characteristic – area under the curve) of need for respiratory sup- port was 78.8%, substantially outperforming personal characteristics alone (ROC-AUC 69.5%). Such an approach could be used to monitor at-risk patients and predict medical resource requirements days before they are required.
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| 16. |
- El-Seedi, H. R., et al.
(author)
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Hydroxycinnamic Acids : Natural Sources, Biosynthesis, Possible Biological Activities, and Roles in Islamic Medicine
- 2017
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In: Studies in Natural Products Chemistry. - : Elsevier B.V.. ; , s. 1-29
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hydroxycinnamic acids are the most widely distributed phenolic acids in plants. Broadly speaking, they can be defined as compounds derived from cinnamic acid. They are present at high concentrations in many food products, including fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa, and wine. Cinnamic acid has received great attention in oriental research where it has been used as an antioxidant in food additives in Asia and especially in medical studies in China after being proven to be an effective component of medicinal herbs used by traditional medicine. Cinnamic acid is a phenolic acid widely distributed in the plant kingdom. It presents a wide range of potential therapeutic effects useful in the treatments of cancer, diabetes, lung, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as hepatic, neuro-, and photoprotective effects and antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities. Overall, the pharmaceutical potential of cinnamic acid can be attributed to its ability to scavenge free radicals. However, recent studies have revealed that cinnamic acid presents pharmacological properties beyond those related to its antioxidant activity, such as the ability to competitively inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and activate glucokinase, contributing to reduce hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia, respectively. A diet rich in hydroxycinnamic acids is thought to be associated with beneficial health effects such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The impact of hydroxycinnamic acids on health depends on their intake and pharmacokinetic properties. It can be found free, dimerized or esterified with proteins and polysaccharides in the cell wall, such as arabinoxylans in grasses and xyloglucans in bamboo. Cinnamic acid is an important biological and structural component of the plant cell wall. Due to its ability to stop radical chain reactions by resonance followed by polymerization, cinnamic acid offers protection against UV radiation and is responsible for cross-linking polysaccharides and other cell wall polymers. Cinnamic acid can be absorbed by the small intestine and excreted in the urine, where therapeutic efficacy is dependent on its physiological concentrations and pharmacokinetic properties, which include absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of metabolites. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, especially 2D NMR (COSY, NOESY, HMQC, and HMBC), are the most useful analytical techniques for the structural elucidation of hydroxycinnamic acids besides UV, IR, CD, X-ray analysis, and chemical degradation. In this chapter, we update the reader about the therapeutic properties of cinnamic acid, reviewing its dietary sources, the pharmacokinetic profile, antioxidant action mechanisms, and therapeutic effects in the treatment and prevention of various diseases, in order to provide a basis for understanding its pharmaceutical potential.
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| 17. |
- Falchi, M., et al.
(author)
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Low copy number of the salivary amylase gene predisposes to obesity
- 2014
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 46:5, s. 492-497
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Common multi-allelic copy number variants (CNVs) appear enriched for phenotypic associations compared to their biallelic counterparts. Here we investigated the influence of gene dosage effects on adiposity through a CNV association study of gene expression levels in adipose tissue. We identified significant association of a multi-allelic CNV encompassing the salivary amylase gene (AMY1) with body mass index (BMI) and obesity, and we replicated this finding in 6,200 subjects. Increased AMY1 copy number was positively associated with both amylase gene expression (P = 2.31 × 10-14) and serum enzyme levels (P < 2.20 × 10-16), whereas reduced AMY1 copy number was associated with increased BMI (change in BMI per estimated copy =-0.15 (0.02) kg/m 2; P = 6.93 × 10-10) and obesity risk (odds ratio (OR) per estimated copy = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-1.26; P = 1.46 × 10-10). The OR value of 1.19 per copy of AMY1 translates into about an eightfold difference in risk of obesity between subjects in the top (copy number > 9) and bottom (copy number < 4) 10% of the copy number distribution. Our study provides a first genetic link between carbohydrate metabolism and BMI and demonstrates the power of integrated genomic approaches beyond genome-wide association studies. © 2014 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 18. |
- Moustafa, J. S. E., et al.
(author)
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Novel association approach for variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) identifies DOCK5 as a susceptibility gene for severe obesity
- 2012
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 21:16, s. 3727-3738
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) constitute a relatively under-examined class of genomic variants in the context of complex disease because of their sequence complexity and the challenges in assaying them. Recent large-scale genome-wide copy number variant mapping and association efforts have highlighted the need for improved methodology for association studies using these complex polymorphisms. Here we describe the in-depth investigation of a complex region on chromosome 8p21.2 encompassing the dedicator of cytokinesis 5 (DOCK5) gene. The region includes two VNTRs of complex sequence composition which flank a common 3975 bp deletion, all three of which were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and fragment analysis in a total of 2744 subjects. We have developed a novel VNTR association method named VNTRtest, suitable for association analysis of multi-allelic loci with binary and quantitative outcomes, and have used this approach to show significant association of the DOCK5 VNTRs with childhood and adult severe obesity (P-empirical 8.9 10(8) and P 3.1 10(3), respectively) which we estimate explains approximate to 0.8 of the phenotypic variance. We also identified an independent association between the 3975 base pair (bp) deletion and obesity, explaining a further 0.46 of the variance (P-combined 1.6 10(3)). Evidence for association between DOCK5 transcript levels and the 3975 bp deletion (P 0.027) and both VNTRs (P-empirical 0.015) was also identified in adipose tissue from a Swedish family sample, providing support for a functional effect of the DOCK5 deletion and VNTRs. These findings highlight the potential role of DOCK5 in human obesity and illustrate a novel approach for analysis of the contribution of VNTRs to disease susceptibility through association studies.
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| 19. |
- Yosri, Nermeen, et al.
(author)
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Anti-Viral and Immunomodulatory Properties of Propolis : Chemical Diversity, Pharmacological Properties, Preclinical and Clinical Applications, and In Silico Potential against SARS-CoV-2
- 2021
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In: Foods. - : MDPI AG. - 2304-8158. ; 10:8
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Propolis, a resin produced by honeybees, has long been used as a dietary supplement and folk remedy, and more recent preclinical investigations have demonstrated a large spectrum of potential therapeutic bioactivities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and antiviral properties. As an antiviral agent, propolis and various constituents have shown promising preclinical efficacy against adenoviruses, influenza viruses, respiratory tract viruses, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Over 300 chemical components have been identified in propolis, including terpenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, with the specific constituent profile varying widely according to geographic origin and regional flora. Propolis and its constituents have demonstrated potential efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 by modulating multiple pathogenic and antiviral pathways. Molecular docking studies have demonstrated high binding affinities of propolis derivatives to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including 3C-like protease (3CL(pro)), papain-like protease (PLpro), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S-protein), and helicase (NSP13), as well as to the viral target angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Among these compounds, retusapurpurin A has shown high affinity to 3CL(pro) (Delta G = -9.4 kcal/mol), RdRp (-7.5), RBD (-7.2), NSP13 (-9.4), and ACE2 (-10.4) and potent inhibition of viral entry by forming hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues within viral and human target proteins. In addition, propolis-derived baccharin demonstrated even higher binding affinity towards PLpro (-8.2 kcal/mol). Measures of drug-likeness parameters, including metabolism, distribution, absorption, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) characteristics, also support the potential of propolis as an effective agent to combat COVID-19.
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| 20. |
- Elmasry, Moustafa, et al.
(author)
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Scald management protocols - outcome differences in two different time periods using different treatment strategies.
- 2016
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In: Annals of burns and fire disasters. - : Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters. - 1592-9558. ; 29:2, s. 139-143
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the years the treatment of scalds in our centre has changed, moving more towards the use of biological dressings (xenografts). Management of scalds with mid dermal or deep dermal injuries differs among centers using different types of dressings, and recently biological membrane dressings were recommended for this type of injury. Here we describe differences in treatment outcome in different periods of time. All patients with scalds who presented to the Linkoping Burn Centre during two periods, early (1997-98) and later (2010-12) were included. Data were collected in the unit database and analyzed retrospectively. A lower proportion of autograft operations was found in the later period, falling from 32% to 19%. Hospital stay was shorter in the later period (3.5 days shorter, p=0.01) and adjusted duration of hospital stay/TBSA% was shorter (1.2 to 0.7, p=0.07). The two study groups were similar in most of the studied variables: we could not report any significant differences regarding outcome except for unadjusted duration of hospital stay. Further studies are required to investigate functional and aesthetic outcome differences between the treatment modalities.
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| 21. |
- Hegazy, Mohamed-Elamir F., et al.
(author)
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Cytotoxic Cembranoids from the Red Sea Soft Coral Sarcophyton glaucum
- 2011
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In: Natural Product Communications. - 1934-578X .- 1555-9475. ; 6:12, s. 1809-1812
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- One new cembrane diterpene, 2R,7R,8R-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (1), together with three known compounds, 7 alpha,8 beta-dihydroxydecpoxysarcophine (2), 7 beta-acetoxy-8 alpha-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3), and sarcophine (4), have been isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. 7 beta-Acetoxy-8 alpha-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3) exhibits cytotoxic activity against HepG2, HCT-116, and HeLa cells with IC(50) values of 3.6, 2.3, and 6.7 mu g/mL, respectively.
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| 22. |
- Khalifa, Shaden A. M., et al.
(author)
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Marine Natural Products : A Source of Novel Anticancer Drugs
- 2019
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In: Marine Drugs. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-3397. ; 17:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases worldwide. There is an urgent need for new drugs with novel modes of action and thus considerable research has been conducted for new anticancer drugs from natural sources, especially plants, microbes and marine organisms. Marine populations represent reservoirs of novel bioactive metabolites with diverse groups of chemical structures. This review highlights the impact of marine organisms, with particular emphasis on marine plants, algae, bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, sponges and soft corals. Anti-cancer effects of marine natural products in in vitro and in vivo studies were first introduced; their activity in the prevention of tumor formation and the related compound-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicities were tackled. The possible molecular mechanisms behind the biological effects are also presented. The review highlights the diversity of marine organisms, novel chemical structures, and chemical property space. Finally, therapeutic strategies and the present use of marine-derived components, its future direction and limitations are discussed.
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| 23. |
- Mautner, F. A., et al.
(author)
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1D and 3D coordination polymers with the M(mu(1),mu(1)-X)(2)M motif (M = Na, Zn, Cd): Observation of a linear [Na(H2O)(4)](n)(n+) cation and a five-connected sqp-net
- 2007
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In: Polyhedron. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-5387. ; 26:12, s. 2703-2712
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Three polymeric complexes [Zn(pydz)(N-3)(SO4)](n)[Na(H2O)(4)](n)(H2O)(4n) (1), [Cd(3-ampy)(N-3)Cl](n) (2), and [Cd(DENA)Cl-2(H2O)](n)(3), (pydz = pyridazine or 1,2-diazine, 3-ampy = 3-aminopyridine, DENA = NN-diethylnicotineamide) have been synthesized and characterized by spectral and structural methods and their network topologies analysed. Complex 1 crystallizes in monoclinic C-centred space group C2/m, the Zn(1) center is octahedrally coordinated; and simultaneously bridged by EO-azido, NN'-pydz, and O,O'-sulphato ligands. The ZnN4O2-octahedra form a ID anionic chain along b-axis. The Na(OH2)(6)-octahedra have also common water molecules, thus also forming a 1D chain along b-axis. The cationic and anionic chains are connected via hydrogen bonds of type O-H...O including lattice water molecules to form a supramolecular 3D network structure. In complex 2, the Cd(1) is six-coordinated by two EE-bridging azide groups, and two nitrogen atoms of bridging NN', 3-ampy ligand, and two bridging chloro ligands. The three different bridging ligands connect the distorted octahedra of the Cd(II) centres to form a 3D network structure with the topology of a square pyramidal net (4(3) (.) 6(6)-sqp). The centrosymmetric Cd2Cl2-rings are planar and the NH2- of the 3-ampy groups forms additional hydrogen bonds of type N-H...N to the adjacent azido groups. In complex 3, the octahedrally coordinated Cd(1) centres are occupied by alternating monodentate DENA ligand and a water molecule and the other four sites are occupied by four bridging chloro ligands. Thus the Cd2Cl2-rings form common edges to form 1D chains of Cd(II) octahedra along the b-axis of the monoclinic unit cell. 2D supramolecular sheets extended along the bc-planes of the unit cell are formed by the 0-H...O hydrogen bond. The IR spectra of the three complexes were measured and they confirm the X-ray structural data. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Abbas, Ashraf H., et al.
(author)
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Aesthetic Outcome After Reconstruction of Complex SoftTissue Defects with Free Antero-Lateral Thigh Flap UsingSimple Equipment
- 2015
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In: Journal of surgery. - : Science publishing group. - 2330-0914 .- 2330-0930. ; 3:2-1, s. 36-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: We aimed to assess the aesthetic outcome of surgical reconstruction by free ALT flap using binocular single-refraction magnifying glasses and a modified post- operative surveillance protocol. Methods: 16 patients were operated for free antero-lateral thigh flap to reconstruct complex soft tissue defects with a close clinical follow up protocol for post operative care depending on the attending personnel in the Plastic surgery unit, Suez Canal University hospital, Ismailia, Egypt. Aesthetic outcome was assessed using a questionnaire based on Posch et al. 2005, including the following items colour, contour, presence of hair, overall appearance and donor site scar. Results: The patients’ assessed aesthetic outcome was acceptable in majority of the cases; median score was 4 for all assessed items. Complete flap loss occurred in one case, other complications as arterial thrombosis and hematomas and infection were detected and managed accordingly with flap salvage in the 3 complicated cases. Conclusion: The result suggests that the proposed protocol is sufficient as an alternative. The aesthetic outcome assessed by the patient and the failure rate was in line with other studies.
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| 26. |
- Aboelnaga, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
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Microbial cellulose dressing compared with silver sulphadiazine for the treatment of partial thickness burns: A prospective, randomised, clinical trial
- 2018
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In: Burns. - : Elsevier. - 0305-4179 .- 1879-1409. ; 44:8, s. 1982-1988
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundThe current treatment for partial thickness burns at the trial site is silver sulphadiazine, as it minimises bacterial colonisation of wounds. Its deleterious effect on wound healing, together with the need for repeated, often painful, procedures, has brought about the search for a better treatment. Microbial cellulose has shown promising results that avoid these disadvantages. The aim of this study was therefore to compare microbial cellulose with silver sulphadiazine as a dressing for partial thickness burns.MethodAll patients who presented with partial thickness (superficial and deep dermal) burns from October 2014 to October 2016 were screened for this randomised clinical trial. Twenty patients were included in each group: the cellulose group was treated with microbial cellulose sheets and the control group with silver sulphadiazine cream 10 mg/g. The wound was evaluated every third day. Pain was assessed using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale during and after each procedure. Other variables recorded were age, sex, percentage total body surface area burned (TBSA%), clinical signs of infection, time for epithelialisation and hospital stay. Linear multivariable regression was used to analyse the significance of differences between the treatment groups by adjusting for the size and depth of the burn, and the patient’s age.ResultsMedian TBSA% was 9% (IQR 5.5–12.5). The median number of dressing changes was 1 (IQR 1–2) in the cellulose group, which was lower than that in the control group (median 9.5, IQR 6–16) (p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis showed that the group treated with microbial cellulose spent 6.3 (95% CI 0.2–12.5) fewer days in hospital (p = 0.04), had a mean score that was 3.4 (95% CI 2.5–4.3) points lower during wound care (p < 0.001), and 2.2 (95% CI 1.6–2.7) afterwards (p < 0.001). Epithelialisation was quicker, but not significantly so.ConclusionThese results suggest that the microbial cellulose dressing is a better first choice for treatment of partial thickness burns than silver sulphadiazine cream. Fewer dressings of the wound were done and, combined with the low pain scores, this is good for both the patients and the health care system. The differences in randomisation of the area of burns is, however, a concern that needs to be included in the interpretation of the results.
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| 27. |
- Al-Rabiah, Abdulrahman A., et al.
(author)
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Performance of nanoporous carbon membrane for hydrogen recovery
- 2018
-
In: Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan. - 0253-5106. ; 40:1, s. 43-51
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this work is to study the performance of nanoporous carbon membrane for hydrogen recovery from off-gas streams. The study is based on a rigorous mathematical model which can predict the performance of nanoporous selective surface flow (SSF) carbon membrane. Basically, the developed model is based on two transport mechanisms: the dusty gas flow through porous media and the surface adsorption-diffusion. The model was employed to simulate the hydrogen recovery from off-gas stream using SSF carbon membrane at different operating conditions. The separation performance of hydrogen-hydrocarbon mixture by nanoporous carbon membrane was evaluated and described. A comparison between the model simulation and the experimental data related to hydrogen recovery from off-gas streams shows good agreement. A parametric study is further carried out to show the effects of pressure at the membrane feed and permeate sides. The effects of flow-rate and type of sweep gas at the membrane permeate side on hydrogen recovery are also shown. SSF membrane illustrates a significant potential to be used for hydrogen recovery from refinery off-gas streams.
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| 28. |
- Diaz, Sandra, et al.
(author)
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The IPBES Conceptual Framework - connecting nature and people
- 2015
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In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-3435 .- 1877-3443. ; 14, s. 1-16
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The first public product of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is its Conceptual Framework. This conceptual and analytical tool, presented here in detail, will underpin all IPBES functions and provide structure and comparability to the syntheses that IPBES will produce at different spatial scales, on different themes, and in different regions. Salient innovative aspects of the IPBES Conceptual Framework are its transparent and participatory construction process and its explicit consideration of diverse scientific disciplines, stakeholders, and knowledge systems, including indigenous and local knowledge. Because the focus on co-construction of integrative knowledge is shared by an increasing number of initiatives worldwide, this framework should be useful beyond IPBES, for the wider research and knowledge-policy communities working on the links between nature and people, such as natural, social and engineering scientists, policy-makers at different levels, and decision-makers in different sectors of society.
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| 29. |
- Ellabban, Mohamed A., et al.
(author)
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Experimental study of the effects of nitroglycerin, botulinum toxin A, and clopidogrel on bipedicled superficial inferior epigastric artery flap survival.
- 2022
-
In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 12:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Beneficial effects could be achieved by various agents such as nitroglycerin, botulinum toxin A (BoTA), and clopidogrel to improve skin flap ischaemia and venous congestion injuries. Eighty rats were subjected to either arterial ischaemia or venous congestion and applied to a bipedicled U-shaped superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap with the administration of nitroglycerin, BoTA, or clopidogrel treatments. After 7 days, all rats were sacrificed for flap evaluation. Necrotic area percentage was significantly minimized in flaps treated with clopidogrel (24.49%) versus the ischemic flaps (34.78%); while nitroglycerin (19.22%) versus flaps with venous congestion (43.26%). With ischemia, light and electron microscopic assessments revealed that nitroglycerin produced degeneration of keratinocytes and disorganization of collagen fibers. At the same time, with clopidogrel administration, there was an improvement in the integrity of these structures. With venous congestion, nitroglycerin and BoTA treatments mitigated the epidermal and dermal injury; and clopidogrel caused coagulative necrosis. There was a significant increase in tissue gene expression and serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ischemic flaps with BoTA and clopidogrel, nitroglycerin, and BoTA clopidogrel in flaps with venous congestion. With the 3 treatment agents, gene expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were up-regulated in the flaps with ischemia and venous congestion. With all treatment modalities, its serum levels were significantly increased in flaps with venous congestion and significantly decreased in ischemic flaps. Our analyses suggest that the best treatment option for ischemic flaps is clopidogrel, while for flaps with venous congestion are nitroglycerin and BoTA.
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| 30. |
- Ellabban, Mohamed A., et al.
(author)
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Virtual planning of the anterolateral thigh free flap for heel reconstruction
- 2022
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In: Microsurgery. - : WILEY. - 0738-1085 .- 1098-2752. ; 42:5, s. 460-469
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose three dimensional (3-D) virtual planning is an example of computer assisted surgery that improved management of composite tissue defects. However, converting the 3-D construct into two dimensional format is challenging. The purpose of this study was to assess 3-D virtual planning of complex heel defects for better optimized reconstruction. Patients and methods a prospective analysis of 10 patients [9 male and 1 female; mean age = 27.9 years] with post-traumatic heel defects was performed. Heel defects comprised types II (three patients) or III (seven patients) according to Hidalgo and Shaw and were managed using anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap adopting 3-D virtual planning of the actual defect which was converted into a silicone two dimensional mold. The mean definitive size of the defects was 63.4 cm(3). Functional, aesthetic, and sensory evaluations of both donor and recipient sites were performed 1 year after surgery. Results Six patients received thinned ALT (mean size = 139 cm(3)) while four patients received musculofasciocutaneous ALT flap (mean size = 199 cm(3)). One flap exhibited partial skin flap necrosis. Another flap was salvaged after re-exploration secondary to venous congestion. The mean follow-up was 20.2 months. The Maryland foot score showed 4 excellent, 5 good, and 1 fair cases. The mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle hind foot scoring was 76.3 (range: 69-86). All patients regained their walking capability. Conclusions 3-D virtual planning of complex heel defects facilitates covering non-elliptical defects while harvesting a conventional elliptical flap with providing satisfactory functional outcomes and near-normal contour, volume, and sensibility.
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| 31. |
- Elmasry, Moustafa, et al.
(author)
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Temporary coverage of burns with a xenograft and sequential excision, compared with total early excision and autograft
- 2016
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In: Annals of burns and fire disasters. - : Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters. - 1592-9558. ; 29:3, s. 196-201
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During the 80s and 90s, early and total excision of full thickness burns followed by immediate autograft was the most common treatment, with repeated excision and grafting, mostly for failed grafts. It was hypothesized, therefore, that delayed coverage with an autograft preceded by a temporary xenograft after early and sequential smaller excisions would lead to a better wound bed with fewer failed grafts, a smaller donor site, and possibly also a shorter duration of stay in hospital. We carried out a case control study with retrospective analysis from our National Burn Centre registry for the period 1997-2011. Patients who had been managed with early total excision and autograft were compared with those who had had sequential smaller excisions covered with temporary xenografts until the burn was ready for the final autograft. The sequential excision and xenograft group (n=42) required one-third fewer autografts than patients in the total excision and autograft group (n=45), who needed more than one operation (p<0.001). We could not detect any differences in duration of stay in hospital / total body surface area burned% (duration of stay/TBSA%) (2.0 and 1.8) (p=0.83). The two groups showed no major differences in terms of adjusted duration of stay, but our findings suggest that doing early, smaller, sequential excisions using a xenograft for temporary cover can result in shorter operating times, saving us the trouble of making big excisions. However, costs tended to be higher when the burns were > 25% TBSA.
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| 32. |
- Farag, Mohamed A., et al.
(author)
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An updated multifaceted overview of sweet proteins and dipeptides as sugar substitutes; the chemistry, health benefits, gut interactions, and safety
- 2022
-
In: Food Research International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0963-9969 .- 1873-7145. ; 162
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Artificial sweeteners have become increasingly popular worldwide owing to their lower calorie content in addition to the claims of health benefits such as weight control, blood glucose level regulation in diabetics, and protection against dental caries. Nevertheless, there is still controversy regarding their safety, especially when administered over the long term, taking into account that most of the safety studies are based on animal models and only a few human studies. This review focuses on low-calorie protein/peptide sweeteners. These include artificial sweeteners, i.e. aspartame, advantame, neotame, and alitame which are synthetic, versus those of natural origin such as thaumatin, monellin, brazzein, pentadin, mabinlin, curculin, and egg white lysozyme. We conducted a systematic literature survey to ensure the accuracy of the data regarding the chemical properties, synthesis, and industrial applications. The health benefits and safety of these sweeteners in humans are presented for the first time in context to their metabolic profiles and gut interaction.
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| 33. |
- Gerkin, Richard C., et al.
(author)
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Recent Smell Loss Is the Best Predictor of COVID-19 Among Individuals With Recent Respiratory Symptoms
- 2021
-
In: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 46
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0–100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19−; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19− groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean ± SD, C19+: −82.5 ± 27.2 points; C19−: −59.8 ± 37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC = 0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0–10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4 < OR < 10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.
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| 34. |
- Haange, S. B., et al.
(author)
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Ring Trial on Quantitative Assessment of Bile Acids Reveals a Method- and Analyte-Specific Accuracy and Reproducibility
- 2022
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In: Metabolites. - : MDPI AG. - 2218-1989. ; 12:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bile acids are a key mediator of the molecular microbiome-host interaction, and various mass spectrometry-based assays have been developed in the recent decade to quantify a wide range of bile acids. We compare existing methodologies to harmonize them. Methodology for absolute quantification of bile acids from six laboratories in Europe were compared for the quantification of the primary bile acids cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and conjugated products glycocholic acid (GCA) and taurocholic acid (TCA). For the bacterially modified secondary bile acids, the quantification of deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA) was compared. For the murine bile acids, we used the primary muricholic acids (alpha-MCA and, beta-MCA) and the intestinally produced secondary bile acid muricholic (omega-MCA). The standards were spiked into methanol:water (1:1) mix as well as in human and murine serum at either low concentration range (150-3000 nM) or high concentration range (1500-40,000 nM). The precision was better for higher concentrations. Measurements for the hydrophobic unconjugated bile acids LCA and omega-MCA were the most challenging. The quality assessments were generally very similar, and the comprehensive analyses demonstrated that data from chosen locations can be used for comparisons between studies.
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| 35. |
- Hussien, Taha A., et al.
(author)
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Guaianolide Sesquiterpene Lactones from Centaurothamnus maximus
- 2021
-
In: Molecules. - : MDPI AG. - 1431-5157 .- 1420-3049. ; 26:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Centaurothamnus maximus (family Asteraceae), is a leafy shrub indigenous to the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. With a paucity of phytochemical data on this species, we set out to chemically characterize the plant. From the aerial parts, two newly identified guaianolides were isolated: 3β-hydroxy-4α(acetoxy)-4β(hydroxymethyl)-8α-(4-hydroxy methacrylate)-1αH,5αH, 6αH-gual-10(14),11(13)-dien-6,12-olide (1) and 15-descarboxy picrolide A (2). Seven previously reported compounds were also isolated: 3β, 4α, 8α-trihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)-lαH, 5αH, 6βH, 7αH-guai-10(14),11(13)-dien-6,12-olide (3), chlorohyssopifolin B (4), cynaropikrin (5), hydroxyjanerin (6), chlorojanerin (7), isorhamnetin (8), and quercetagetin-3,6-dimethyl ether-4’-O-β-d-pyranoglucoside (9). Chemical structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques, including High Resolution Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry (HR-FAB-MS), 1D NMR; 1H, 13C NMR, Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT), and 2D NMR (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC) analyses. In addition, a biosynthetic pathway for compounds 1–9 is proposed. The chemotaxonomic significance of the reported sesquiterpenoids and flavonoids considering reports from other Centaurea species is examined.
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| 36. |
- Mamdouh, Moustafa, et al.
(author)
-
Authentication and Identity Management of IoHT Devices : Achievements, Challenges, and Future Directions
- 2021
-
In: Computers & security (Print). - : Elsevier. - 0167-4048 .- 1872-6208. ; 111
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm serves as an enabler technology in several domains. Healthcare is one of the domains in which the IoT plays a vital role in increasing quality of life. On the one hand, the Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) creates smart environments and increases the efficiency and intelligence of the provided services. On the other hand, unfortunately, it suffers from security vulnerabilities inside and outside. There are various techniques used to identify, access, and securely manage IoT devices. Additionally, sensors, monitoring, key confidentiality management, integrity, and sensitive data accessibility are required. This study focuses on the IoT perception layer and offers a comprehensive review of the IoHT or the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). The paper covers the current trends and open challenges in IoHT device authentication mechanisms, such as the physically unclonable function (PUF) and blockchain-based techniques. In addition, IoT simulators and verification tools are included. Finally, a future vision regarding the evolution of IoHT device authentication in terms of the utilization of different technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and 5G, is provided at end of this review.
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| 37. |
- Mamdouh, Moustafa, et al.
(author)
-
Outlook on Security and Privacy in IoHT : Key Challenges and Future Vision
- 2020
-
In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision (AICV2020). - Cham : Springer. - 9783030442880 - 9783030442897 ; , s. 721-730
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Internet of Things (IoT) security and privacy have received considerable research attention due to the IoT applicability in various domains. IoT systems have several applications, such as smart homes, smart cities, e-Health, industry, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. One of the most important applications is the Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) because it helps humans and patients obtain rapid diagnoses, remote monitoring, and home rehabilitation. IoHT security can be classified into four categories: applications, architecture, communication, and data security. This paper presents a short, but focused, review on IoHT security and privacy. It also explores recent security algorithms and protocols that are used to secure personal patient data, clinicians, and healthcare information. The future vision of IoHT challenges and countermeasures is given at the end of this study. Blockchain healthcare technology provides secure digital payment and privileged data access.
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| 38. |
- Nowilaty, Sawsan R., et al.
(author)
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Incidence and Natural History of Retinochoroidal Neovascularization in Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome
- 2021
-
In: American Journal of Ophthalmology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9394. ; 222, s. 174-184
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: We examined the incidence and natural history of macular retinochoroidal neovascularization (RCN) in enhanced S-cone syndrome (ESCS). Design: Retrospective case series. Methods: This single-center study included 14 of 93 patients with ESCS who had signs of active or inactive RCN in ≥1 eye. We conducted multimodal retinal imaging, full-field electroretinography, and molecular genetic analysis of NR2E3 gene. Our main outcome measures included the cumulative incidence of RCN in ESCS, type of RCN, and mode of evolution of RCN. Results: Fourteen (15.1%) of 93 patients with ESCS had RCN in ≥1 eye at 2 to 27 years of age. All 22 RCNs (21 eyes of 14 patients) were macular. Twelve of the RCNs were active with exudates/hemorrhages. Of these, 5 appeared de novo in a subretinal location, with photographic evidence of no pre-existing lesions. The latter were compatible with type 3 neovascularization or retinal angiomatous proliferation and subsequently evolved into unifocal fibrotic nodules. The remaining active lesions all had some degree of pre-existing fibrosis and remained stable. Ten inactive fibrotic nodules, identical to end-stage de novo lesions, were found and were presumed to represent healed RCNs. Conclusions: RCN, a treatable condition, may occur as early as 2 years of age and may be much more common in patients with ESCS than previously estimated. It may be the primary cause of the unifocal submacular fibrosis that is commonly observed in this condition. Additional research is needed to establish the pathogenesis of RCN in patients with ESCS and its optimal management.
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| 39. |
- Parma, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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More Than Smell—COVID-19 Is Associated With Severe Impairment of Smell, Taste, and Chemesthesis
- 2020
-
In: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 45:7, s. 609-622
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent anecdotal and scientific reports have provided evidence of a link between COVID-19 and chemosensory impairments, such as anosmia. However, these reports have downplayed or failed to distinguish potential effects on taste, ignored chemesthesis, and generally lacked quantitative measurements. Here, we report the development, implementation, and initial results of a multilingual, international questionnaire to assess self-reported quantity and quality of perception in 3 distinct chemosensory modalities (smell, taste, and chemesthesis) before and during COVID-19. In the first 11 days after questionnaire launch, 4039 participants (2913 women, 1118 men, and 8 others, aged 19–79) reported a COVID-19 diagnosis either via laboratory tests or clinical assessment. Importantly, smell, taste, and chemesthetic function were each significantly reduced compared to their status before the disease. Difference scores (maximum possible change ±100) revealed a mean reduction of smell (−79.7 ± 28.7, mean ± standard deviation), taste (−69.0 ± 32.6), and chemesthetic (−37.3 ± 36.2) function during COVID-19. Qualitative changes in olfactory ability (parosmia and phantosmia) were relatively rare and correlated with smell loss. Importantly, perceived nasal obstruction did not account for smell loss. Furthermore, chemosensory impairments were similar between participants in the laboratory test and clinical assessment groups. These results show that COVID-19-associated chemosensory impairment is not limited to smell but also affects taste and chemesthesis. The multimodal impact of COVID-19 and the lack of perceived nasal obstruction suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus strain 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may disrupt sensory-neural mechanisms.
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| 40. |
- Abdelrahman, Islam, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Pros and Cons of Early and Late Skin Grafting in Children with Burns : Evaluation of Common Concepts
- 2022
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In: European Burn Journal. - : MDPI. - 2673-1991. ; 3:1, s. 180-187
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: There is no consensus regarding the timing of surgery in children with smaller burn size, specifically in deep dermal burns. Delayed surgery has risks in terms of infection and delayed wound healing. Early surgery also risks the removal of potentially viable tissue. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the timing of surgical intervention on the size of the area operated on and the time to wound healing. Methods: A retrospective analysis for all children (<18 years) with burn size <20% body surface area (BSA%) during 2009–2020 who were operated on with a split-thickness skin graft. The patients were grouped by the timing of the first skin graft operation: early = operated on within 14 days of injury; delayed = operated on more than two weeks after injury. Results: A total of 84 patients were included in the study, 43 who had an early operation and 41 who had a delayed operation. There were no differences between the groups regarding burn size, or whether the burns were superficial or deep. The mean duration of healing time was seven days longer in the group with delayed operation (p = 0.001). The area operated on was somewhat larger (not significantly so) in the group who had early operation. Nine children had two skin graft operations, eight in the early group and one in the delayed group (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The patients who were operated on early had the advantage of a shorter healing time, but there was a higher rate of complementary operations and a tendency towards a larger burn excision.
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| 41. |
- Al-Hammouri, A.T., et al.
(author)
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Virtualization of synchronized phasor measurement units within real-time simulators for smart grid applications
- 2012
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In: Power and Energy Society General Meeting, 2012 IEEE. - : IEEE. - 9781467327275 ; , s. 6344949-
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Synchronized phasor measurement units (PMUs) provide GPS-time tagged high-sampling rate positive-sequence voltage and current phasors. When placed in high-voltage substations in power networks, PMUs can provide real-time information that is necessary for the development of Smart Transmission Grid software applications for improving power system monitoring, control and protection. The development of these applications, particularly for use within control centers for on-line purposes, is limited by the availability of and access to real-time PMU data and other information. One attractive approach for application development is the use of real-time simulators to which PMUs can be interfaced as hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) devices to harvest PMU data. However, this approach has technical and economical limitations, which can be tackled by the virtualization of PMU devices. This article describes the development of an entirely software-based synchronized phasor measurement unit for use within real-time simulators that will allow the emulation of a large number of real-life PMUs, which in turn can be used for creating new phasor-based applications.
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| 42. |
- Arumugam, Ashokan, et al.
(author)
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Sedentary and physical activity time differs between self-reported ATLS-2 physical activity questionnaire and accelerometer measurements in adolescents and young adults in the United Arab Emirates
- 2023
-
In: BMC Public Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2458. ; 23:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Most young adults and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) do not meet the established internationally recommended physical activity levels per day. The Arab Teen Lifestyle Study (ATLS) physical activity questionnaire has been recommended for measuring self-reported physical activity of Arab adolescents and young adults (aged 14 years to mid-twenties). The first version of the ATLS has been validated with accelerometers and pedometers (r ≤ 0.30). The revised version of the questionnaire (ATLS-2, 2021) needs further validation. The aim of this study was to validate the self-reported subjective sedentary and physical activity time of the ATLS-2 (revised version) physical activity questionnaire with that of Fibion accelerometer-measured data.METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 131 healthy adolescents and young adults (aged 20.47 ± 2.16 [mean ± SD] years (range 14-25 years), body mass index 23.09 ± 4.45 (kg/m2) completed the ATLS-2 and wore the Fibion accelerometer for a maximum of 7 days. Participants (n = 131; 81% non-UAE Arabs (n = 106), 13% Asians (n = 17) and 6% Emiratis (n = 8)) with valid ATLS-2 data without missing scores and Fibion data of minimum 10 h/day for at least 3 weekdays and 1 weekend day were analyzed. Concurrent validity between the two methods was assessed by the Spearman rho correlation and Bland-Altman plots.RESULTS: The questionnaire underestimated sedentary and physical activity time compared to the accelerometer data. Only negligible to weak correlations (r ≤ 0.12; p > 0.05) were found for sitting, walking, cycling, moderate intensity activity, high intensity activity and total activity time. In addition, a proportional/systematic bias was evident in the plots for all but two (walking and moderate intensity activity time) of the outcome measures of interest.CONCLUSIONS: Overall, self-reported ATLS-2 sedentary and physical activity time had low correlation and agreement with objective Fibion accelerometer measurements in adolescents and young adults in the UAE. Therefore, sedentary and physical activity assessment for these groups should not be limited to self-reported measures.
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| 43. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 44. |
- Bebbington, Emily, et al.
(author)
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Exploring the similarities and differences of burn registers globally: Results from a data dictionary comparison study
- 2024
-
In: Burns. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 0305-4179 .- 1879-1409. ; 50:4, s. 850-865
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Pooling and comparing data from the existing global network of burn registers represents a powerful, yet untapped, opportunity to improve burn prevention and care. There have been no studies investigating whether registers are sufficiently similar to allow data comparisons. It is also not known what differences exist that could bias analyses. Understanding this information is essential prior to any future data sharing. The aim of this project was to compare the variables collected in countrywide and intercountry burn registers to understand their similarities and differences. Methods: Register custodians were invited to participate and share their data dictionaries. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were compared to understand each register population. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the number of unique variables. Variables were classified into themes. Definition, method, timing of measurement, and response options were compared for a sample of register concepts. Results: 13 burn registries participated in the study. Inclusion criteria varied between registers. Median number of variables per register was 94 (range 28 - 890), of which 24% (range 4.8 - 100%) were required to be collected. Six themes (patient information, admission details, injury, inpatient, outpatient, other) and 41 subthemes were identified. Register concepts of age and timing of injury show similarities in data collection. Intent, mechanism, inhalational injury, infection, and patient death show greater variation in measurement. Conclusions: We found some commonalities between registers and some differences. Commonalities would assist in any future efforts to pool and compare data between registers. Differences between registers could introduce selection and measurement bias, which needs to be addressed in any strategy aiming to facilitate burn register data sharing. We recommend the development of common data elements used in an international minimum data set for burn injuries, including standard definitions and methods of measurement, as the next step in achieving burn register data sharing. (c) 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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| 45. |
- Dib, Lea, et al.
(author)
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Lipid-associated macrophages transition to an inflammatory state in human atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of cerebrovascular complications
- 2023
-
In: Nature Cardiovascular Research. - 2731-0590. ; 2:7, s. 656-672
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The immune system is integral to cardiovascular health and disease. Targeting inflammation ameliorates adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Atherosclerosis, a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, is conceptualized as lipid-driven inflammation in which macrophages play a nonredundant role. However, evidence emerging so far from single-cell atlases suggests a dichotomy between lipid-associated and inflammatory macrophage states. Here, we present an inclusive reference atlas of human intraplaque immune cell communities. Combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of human surgical carotid endarterectomies in a discovery cohort with bulk RNA-seq and immunohistochemistry in a validation cohort (the Carotid Plaque Imaging Project), we reveal the existence of PLIN2hi/TREM1hi macrophages as a Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent inflammatory lipid-associated macrophage state linked to cerebrovascular events. Our study shifts the current paradigm of lipid-driven inflammation by providing biological evidence for a pathogenic macrophage transition to an inflammatory lipid-associated phenotype and for its targeting as a new treatment strategy for cardiovascular disease.
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| 46. |
- Eisenberg, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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Cardioprotection and lifespan extension by the natural polyamine spermidine
- 2016
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In: Nature Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1078-8956 .- 1546-170X. ; 22:12, s. 1428-1438
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aging is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Here we show that oral supplementation of the natural polyamine spermidine extends the lifespan of mice and exerts cardioprotective effects, reducing cardiac hypertrophy and preserving diastolic function in old mice. Spermidine feeding enhanced cardiac autophagy, mitophagy and mitochondrial respiration, and it also improved the mechano-elastical properties of cardiomyocytes in vivo, coinciding with increased titin phosphorylation and suppressed subclinical inflammation. Spermidine feeding failed to provide cardioprotection in mice that lack the autophagy-related protein Atg5 in cardiomyocytes. In Dahl salt-sensitive rats that were fed a high-salt diet, a model for hypertension-induced congestive heart failure, spermidine feeding reduced systemic blood pressure, increased titin phosphorylation and prevented cardiac hypertrophy and a decline in diastolic function, thus delaying the progression to heart failure. In humans, high levels of dietary spermidine, as assessed from food questionnaires, correlated with reduced blood pressure and a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. Our results suggest a new and feasible strategy for protection against cardiovascular disease.
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| 47. |
- El-Kemary, Maged, et al.
(author)
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Spectral characterisation of the silver nanoparticles biosynthesised using Ambrosia maritima plant
- 2016
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In: Micro & Nano Letters. - : Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). - 1750-0443. ; 11:6, s. 311-314
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesised by reducing silver nitrate (AgNO3) using Ambrosia maritima aqueous leaves extract. The biosynthesised AgNPs were characterised by transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and zeta potential analyser. The nanoparticles were generally found to be spherical in shape with average size of 30 nm and were stable at zeta potential of -26.29 mV. The data collected by cyclic voltammetry, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer and spectrofluorophotometer proved the characteristic electrochemical and optical properties of the biosynthesised AgNPs. The metallic nanoparticles showed an anodic peak at 0.4 mV, a surface plasmon resonance peak at 437 nm and a fluorescence emission peak at the wavelength of 467 nm. In conclusion, AgNPs biosynthesised using A. maritima proved to be compatible and feasible to be studied further in in vitro and in vivo systems. Overall, the biosynthesised AgNPs can be used as a tool applied in a broad range of industrial and medical applications.
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| 48. |
- Ellabban, Mohamed A., et al.
(author)
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Dual Reconstruction of Lumbar and Gluteal Defects with Freestyle Propeller Flap and Muscle Flap
- 2021
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In: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 2169-7574. ; 9:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The reconstruction of complex tissue defects in the lumbar and gluteal areas is a surgical challenge. The use of freestyle perforator-based flaps has gained popularity in the reconstruction of these defects due to several advantages: versatility, minimal donor-site morbidity, and tension-free closure. The present study reports the outcome of using a dual coverage of lumbar and gluteal defects with a gluteus maximus rotation flap as a deep layer and a freestyle propeller perforator-based flap as a superficial layer. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 18 patients who had a dual coverage of complex wounds of the lumbar and the gluteal areas was conducted. Different propeller flaps were used as superior gluteal artery perforator flap (SGAP), inferior gluteal artery perforator flap (IGAP), and posterior thigh perforator flap (PTP). Results: The study included 15 men and 3 women. The mean age was 26.3 years. The causes of the defects were: pressure ulcers in 14 patients and post-traumatic in 4 patients. A total of 28 freestyle flaps was used: 11 patients had 1 flap, 4 had 2 flaps, and 3 had 3 flaps. The mean postoperative follow-up was 12.2 months. The complications registered in the medical records were venous congestion in 2 patients, partial flap necrosis in 2 patients, and wound dehiscence in 1 patient. Conclusions: A freestyle propeller perforator-based flap combined with a gluteus maximus muscle flap is a solution that provides well-padding over bony prominence with a low complication rate. However, a long-term follow-up is needed to verify these results. Published online 26 January 2021. Received for publication October 7, 2020; accepted November 23, 2020. Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article. Mohamed A. Ellabban, MSc, MRCS, MD, FEBOPRAS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit Surgery Department Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University Ismailia, Egypt E-mail: Mohamed.ellabban@med.suez.edu.eg This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All rights reserved.
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| 49. |
- Elmasry, Moustafa, et al.
(author)
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Treatment of Children With Scalds by Xenografts: Report From a Swedish Burn Centre
- 2016
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In: Journal of Burn Care & Research. - : LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. - 1559-047X .- 1559-0488. ; 37:6, s. E586-E591
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scalds are the most common type of burn in children, and one way to treat them is with xenografts with no topical antimicrobials in line with the recommendations of a recent review. However, this treatment has not been examined in detail. Our aim was to describe the treatment of such children when biological dressings (xenografts) were used without local antimicrobials. We reviewed the medical records of all children admitted to a Swedish National Burn Centre during the period 2010-2012 with scalds who were treated with xenografts. Percentage TBSA injured, age, length of hospital stay, number of operations, antibiotics given, duration of antibiotic treatment, and pain score during the first 3 days, application of xenografts, and clinical notes of wound infection were recorded. We studied 67 children, (43 of whom were boys), with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 1 (1-2) year and median (IQR) TBSA% 6.2 (4-11). Twenty children (30%) required operation. Twelve (18%) developed a wound infection, 29 (43%) had other infections, and 26 (39%) were free from infection. The median (IQR) duration of systemic antibiotics was 10 (6-13) days. On the day that the xenografts were applied 10 of the children had a Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) score between 3 and 7, and during the following 2 days, only four children scored in this range. The remaining 57 children had scores amp;lt;3 on the day that xenografts were applied and on the following 2 days. Median (IQR) length of stay/TBSA% was 0.7 (0.4-1.0). Treatment with xenografts was associated with median length of stay/TBSA% amp;lt; 1 and low pain scores. Despite a high rate of prescription of systemic antibiotics, most were for reasons other than wound infection.
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