Effect of malocclusion on jaw motor function and chewing in children: a systematic review

Clinical Oral Investigations - To investigate the effects of dental/skeletal malocclusion and orthodontic treatment on four main objective parameters of chewing and jaw function (maximum occlusal...     

Knowledge and Perceptions of Common Breast Cancer Risk Factors in Northern Saudi Arabia

Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women around the world. The degree of adoption of a preventive lifestyle offers valuable information for planning appropriate intervention programs for improving women’s health. The objective of the present study was to assess the levels of breast cancer related knowledge among a Northern Saudi population. Methodology: In this cross sectional study, data were obtained from 566 Saudi volunteers living in the city of Hail, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Results: With regard to breast cancer risk factors, 427/566 (75.4%) of participants answered in the affirmative to whether breast cancer could be inherited. For early puberty and late menopause, 209/566 (37%) were in agreement with increased risk, for low and delayed child birth, 261/566 (46%), and for overweight and obesity, 210/566(37%). For the question of whether natural breast feeding can reduce the risk of breast cancer, only 35/566 (6.2%) said yes. Conclusion: There is a general lack of knowledge regarding several BC risk factors among the northern Saudi community which necessitates urgent implementation of educational programs.     

Apremilast prevent doxorubicin-induced apoptosis and inflammation in heart through inhibition of oxidative stress mediated activation of NF-κB signaling pathways

Background

Doxorubicin is an effective, potent and commonly used anthracycline-related anticancer drug; however, cardiotoxicity compromises its therapeutic potential. Apremilast, a novel phosphodiesterase type 4-inhibitor, reported to have anti-inflammatory effects and modulating many inflammatory mediators.

Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) and γ-Fe2O3-TiO2 Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications: Synthesis,Characterization and Heating Efficiency

In this report, the heating efficiencies of γ-Fe₂O₃ and hybrid γ-Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ nanoparticles NPs under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) have been investigated to evaluate their feasible use in magnetic hyperthermia. The NPs were synthesized by a modified sol-gel method and characterized by different techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses confirmed the maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) phase, crystallinity, good uniformity and 10 nm core sizes of the as-synthesized composites. SQUID hysteresis loops showed a non-negligible coercive field and remanence suggesting the ferromagnetic behavior of the particles. Heating efficiency measurements showed that both samples display high heating potentials and reached magnetic hyperthermia (42 °C) in relatively short times with shorter time (~3 min) observed for γ-Fe₂O₃ compared to γ-Fe₂O₃-TiO₂. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values calculated for γ-Fe₂O₃ (up to 90 W/g) are higher than that for γ-Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ (~40 W/g)_, confirming better heating efficiency for γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs. The intrinsic loss power (ILP) values of 1.57 nHm²/kg and 0.64 nHm²/kg obtained for both nanocomposites are in the range reported for commercial ferrofluids (0.2–3.1 nHm²/kg). Finally, the heating mechanism responsible for NP heat dissipation is explained concluding that both Neel and Brownian relaxations are contributing to heat production. Overall, the obtained high heating efficiencies suggest that the fabricated nanocomposites hold a great potential to be utilized in a wide spectrum of applications, particularly in magnetic photothermal hyperthermia treatments.     

Polarization Independent Metamaterial Absorber with Anti-Reflection Coating Nanoarchitectonics for Visible and Infrared Window Applications

The visible and infrared wavelengths are the most frequently used electromagnetic (EM) waves in the frequency spectrum; able to penetrate the atmosphere and reach Earth’s surface. These wavelengths have attracted much attention in solar energy harvesting; thermography; and infrared imaging applications for the detection of electrical failures; faults; or thermal leakage hot spots and inspection of tapped live energized components. This paper presents a numerical analysis of a compact cubic cross-shaped four-layer metamaterial absorber (MA) structure by using a simple metal-dielectric-metal-dielectric configuration for wideband visible and infrared applications. The proposed MA achieved above 80% absorption in both visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum from 350 to 1250 nm wavelength with an overall unit cell size of 0.57λ × 0.57λ × 0.59λ. The SiO₂ based anti-reflection coating of sandwiched tungsten facilitates to achieve the wide high absorption bandwidth. The perceptible novelty of the proposed metamaterial is to achieve an average absorptivity of 95.3% for both visible and infrared wavelengths with a maximum absorptivity of 98% from 400 nm to 900 nm. Furthermore, the proposed structure provides polarization insensitivity with a higher oblique incidence angle tolerance up to 45°.     

Effect of Accelerated Weathering on the Thermal,Tensile, and Morphological Characteristics of Polypropylene/Date Nanofiller Composites

The aging of polypropylene (PP) composites reinforced with date palm nanofiber (DNF) was investigated in this study in order to predict their long-term performance. To produce composites, date palm nanofibers in the range of 1–5 wt% loading were dry-melt-blended with polypropylene. These biocomposites were then subjected to UV exposure (Xenon arch source) for accelerated weathering for 250 and 500 h according to a standard method. The change in thermal properties before and after accelerated weathering was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TGA analysis shows that the maximum degradation temperature for sample at 1 wt% loading was 382.7 °C, which slightly decreased to 379.9 °C after 250 h and to 367.7 °C after 500 h of weathering. DSC analysis also revealed lower crystallinity of the same samples after exposure to accelerated weathering. Mechanical properties were also studied to identify the damage induced by accelerated weathering. The tensile strength of the highest loading (5 wt%) of the sample was found to occur at 34.83 MPa, which was slightly lowered to 31.64 after 500 h treatment. A minimal decrease in tensile strength, deterioration, and weathering-induced oxidation indicates the excellent stability of these composites. Therefore, our study provides insight into the aging behavior of such composites, which may be useful in dry conditions, as well as nonstructural automotive and other parts for which minimum tensile strength (~25 MPa) is specified.     

Vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS): Evaluation of 31 years of reports and pandemics’ impact

BackgroundVaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS) was established in the United States (U.S.) as an early warning system with a main purpose of collecting post-marketing Adverse events following immunizations (AEFIs) reports to monitor the vaccine safety and to mitigate the risks from vaccines. During the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, VAERS got more attention as its important role in monitoring the safety of the vaccines. The aim of this study was to investigate VAERS patterns, reported AEFI, vaccines, and impact of different pandemics since its inception.MethodsThis was an observational study using VARES data from 2/7/1990 to 12/11/2021. Patterns of reports over years were first described, followed by a comparison of reports statistics per year. Furthermore, a comparison of incidents (death, ER visits, etc.) statistics over years, in addition to statistics of each vaccine were calculated. Moreover, each incident''s statistics for each vaccine were calculated and top vaccines were reported. All analyses were conducted using R (Version 1.4.1717) and Excel for Microsoft 365.ResultsThere were 1,396,280 domestic and 346,210 non-domestic reports during 1990–2021, including 228 vaccines. For both domestic and non-domestic reports, year of 2021 had the highest reporting rate (48.52 % and 70.33 %), in addition a notable change in AEFIs patterns were recorded during 1991, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2017. AEFIs were as follow: deaths (1.00 % and 4.08 %), ER or doctor visits (13.37 % and 2.27 %), hospitalizations (5.84 % and 27.78 %), lethal threat (1.42 % and 4.38 %), and disabilities (1.4 % and 7.96 %). Pyrexia was the top reported symptom during the past 31 years, except for 2021 where headache was the top one. COVID-19 vaccines namely Moderna, Pfizer-Biontech, and Janssen were the top 3 reported vaccines with headache, pyrexia, and fatigue as the top associated AEFIs. Followed by Zoster, Seasonal Influenza, Pneumococcal, and Human papillomavirus vaccines.ConclusionsThe large data available in VARES make it a useful tool for detecting and monitoring vaccine AEFIs. However, its usability relies on understating the limitations of this surveillance system, the impact of governmental regulations, availability of vaccines, and public health recommendations on the reporting rate.     

Efficacy and safety of delafloxacin,ceftaroline, ceftobiprole,and tigecycline for the empiric treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundThis review aimed to conduct an indirect comparison using a Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the efficacy and safety of delafloxacin versus other single antibiotic regimens for the empiric treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections.MethodA systematic search with no start date restrictions was conducted. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess the quality of included RCTs.ResultsOf the 577 studies initially identified, nine RCTs were included in the review. The network meta-analysis showed that ceftaroline, ceftobiprole, delafloxacin and tigecycline had similar efficacy in the indirect comparisons [Ceftaroline Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% Crl = 0.46–3.6), ceftobiprole (OR = 1.3, 95% Crl = 0.34–3.0) and tigecycline (OR = 0.96, 95% Crl = 0.30–2.9)]. However, the ranking plot for the intention to treat (ITT) population showed that delafloxacin had a probability of 80.8% to be ranked first followed by ceftobiprole (13.1%). The analysis of the overall adverse events showed that ceftaroline (OR = 0.88, 95% Crl = 0.65–1.2), ceftobiprole (OR = 1.1, 95% Crl = 0.69–2.0), delafloxacin (OR = 0.88, 95% Crl = 0.57–1.3) and tigecycline (OR = 1.4, 95% Crl = 0.88–2.2) had similar safety profiles.ConclusionDelafloxacin did not show any statistically significant differences when compared to ceftaroline, ceftobiprole, and tigecycline in terms of efficacy and safety. However, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probability ranked delafloxacin as the first option for the ITT population.     

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus FM9 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum Y57 Are as Effective as Statins at Improving Blood Lipid Profile in High Cholesterol,High-Fat Diet Model in Male Wistar Rats

Elevated serum cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart diseases. Some Lactobacillus strains with cholesterol-lowering potential have been isolated from artisanal food products. The purpose of this study was to isolate probiotic Lactobacillus strains from traditional yoghurt (dahi) and yogurt milk (lassi) and investigate the impact of these strains on the blood lipid profile and anti-obesity effect in a high cholesterol high fat diet model in Wistar rats. Eight candidate probiotic strains were chosen based on in vitro probiotic features and cholesterol reduction ability. By 16S rDNA sequencing, these strains were identified as Limosilactibacillus fermentum FM6, L. fermentum FM16, L. fermentum FM12, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus FM9, L. fermentum Y55, L. fermentum Y57, L. rhamnosus Y59, and L. fermentum Y63. The safety of these strains was investigated by feeding 2 × 10⁸ CFU/mL in saline water for 28 days in a Wistar rat model. No bacterial translocation or any other adverse effects were observed in animals after administration of strains in water, which indicates the safety of strains. The cholesterol-lowering profile of these probiotics was evaluated in male Wistar rats using a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFCD) model. For 30 days, animals were fed probiotic strains in water with 2 × 10⁸ CFU/mL/rat/day, in addition to a high fat, high cholesterol diet. The cholesterol-lowering effects of various probiotic strains were compared to those of statin. All strains showed improvement in total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and weight gain. Serum cholesterol levels were reduced by 9% and 8% for L. rhamnosus FM9 and L. fermentum Y57, respectively, compared to 5% for the statin-treated group. HDL levels significantly improved by 46 and 44% for L. rhamnosus FM9 and L. fermentum Y57, respectively, compared to 46% for the statin-treated group. Compared to the statin-treated group, FM9 and Y57 significantly reduced LDL levels by almost twofold. These findings show that these strains can improve blood lipid profiles as effectively as statins in male Wistar rats. Furthermore, probiotic-fed groups helped weight control in animals on HFCD, indicating the possible anti-obesity potential of these strains. These strains can be used to develop food products and supplements to treat ischemic heart diseases and weight management. Clinical trials, however, are required to validate these findings.     

Enhancement of Vancomycin Potential against Pathogenic Bacterial Strains via Gold Nano-Formulations: A Nano-Antibiotic Approach

The remarkable rise of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria poses a significant threat to human health. Nanoparticles (NPs) have recently emerged as novel strategies for conquering fatal bacterial diseases. Furthermore, antibiotic-functionalized metallic NPs represent a viable nano-platform for combating bacterial resistance. In this study, we present the use of vancomycin-functionalized gold nanoparticles (V-GNPs) to battle pathogenic bacterial strains. A facile one-pot method was adopted to synthesize vancomycin-loaded GNPs in which the reducing properties of vancomycin were exploited to produce V-GNPs from gold ions. UV–Visible spectroscopy verified the production of V-GNPs via the existence of a surface plasmon resonance peak at 524 nm, whereas transmission electron microscopy depicted a size of ~24 nm. Further, dynamic light scattering (DLS) estimated the hydrodynamic diameter as 77 nm. The stability of V-GNPs was investigated using zeta-potential measurements, and the zeta potential of V-GNPs was found to be −18 mV. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the efficient loading of vancomycin onto GNP surfaces; however, the loading efficiency of vancomycin onto V-GNPs was 86.2%. Finally, in vitro antibacterial studies revealed that V-GNPs were much more effective, even at lower concentrations, than pure vancomycin. The observed antibacterial activities of V-GNPs were 1.4-, 1.6-, 1.8-, and 1.6-fold higher against Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, respectively, compared to pure vancomycin. Collectively, V-GNPs represented a more viable alternative to pure vancomycin, even at a lower antibiotic dose, in conquering pathogenic bacteria.