Is the Role of Equations in the Doing of Word Problems in School Algebra Changing? Initial Indications From Teacher Study Groups

Abstract Purpose To quantitatively investigate the role of deep capillary plexus (DCP) in patients affected by type 3 macular neovascularization (MNV), compared to patients with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) eyes and healthy controls, using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods In this prospective observational study, a total of seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients were included. Group 1 consisted of 40 eyes of 40 patients with stage 1 of type 3 MNV (22 males, 18 females, mean age 73.7, SD ± 6.60) and group 2 included 38 eyes of 38 patients with RPD (17 males, 21 females, mean age 73.2, SD ± 4.55). The control group included 40 eyes of 40 healthy subjects (20 males, 20 females, mean age 71.4, SD ± 6.36 years). We evaluated the retinal vessel density (VD) of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) using OCTA. Results Patients with diagnosis of type 3 MNV showed statistically lower values of VD in DCP with respect to controls and to RPD group (p < 0.001), while there were no statistical differences between RPD and control group in macular region. No significant differences in VD of SCP were detected among the three study groups. Conclusion OCTA provides a reproducible, non-invasive detailed quantitative analysis of retinal vascular features and changing in early-stage type 3 MNV patients, which allowed to shed the light on the main role of DCP ischemia in the development of type 3 MNV.

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The Novel Role of MIF in the Secretion of IL-25, IL-31, and IL-33 from PBMC of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26164968 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (16) ◽

pp. 4968

Author(s):

Samuel García-Arellano ◽

Luis Alexis Hernández-Palma ◽

Sergio Cerpa-Cruz ◽

Gabriela Athziri Sánchez-Zuno ◽

Melva Guadalupe Herrera-Godina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Joint Destruction ◽

Study Groups ◽

Joint Disease ◽

The Novel ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

Cytokine Dysregulation ◽

New Evidence

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory joint disease with complex pathogenesis associated with cytokine dysregulation. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays a role in systemic inflammation and joint destruction in RA and could be associated with the secretion of other immune-modulatory cytokines such as IL-25, IL-31, and IL-33. For the above, our main aim was to evaluate the IL-25, IL-31, and IL-33 secretion from recombinant human MIF (rhMIF)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of RA patients. The rhMIF and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus rhMIF stimuli promote the secretion of IL-25, IL-31, and IL-33 (p < 0.05) from PBMC of RA patients. The study groups, the different stimuli, and the interaction between both showed a statistically significant effect on the secretion of IL-25 (p < 0.05) and IL-31 (p < 0.01). The study of the effect of the RA patient treatments and their interaction with the effect of stimuli did not show an interaction between them. In conclusion, our study generates new evidence for the role of MIF in the secretion of IL-25, IL-31, and IL-33 and its immunomodulatory effect on RA.

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Relationship between serum leptin levels, non-cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in hemodialysis patients

Romanian Journal of Internal Medicine ◽

10.2478/rjim-2021-0002 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Ivona Risovic ◽

Vlastimir Vlatkovic ◽

Snjezana Popovicpejicic ◽

Gabrijela Malešević

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Inverse Correlation ◽

Study Groups ◽

Mineral And Bone Disorder ◽

Serum Leptin ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Introduction. Hemodialysis (HD) patients have higher mortality rate than the general population. Recent studies indicate a significant role of non-cardiovascular risk factors in for mortality in HD patients. Leptin is protein hormone and may indicate malnutrition in HD patients. Its role in mortality in these patients is being examined. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum leptin levels and non-cardiovascular risk factors and relationship between leptin level and mortality in HD patients. Methods The prospective study included 93 patients on maintenance HD and follow-up period was 12 months. We measured leptin level and evaluated non-cardiovascular risk factors: nutritional status, anemia, volemia, parameters of mineral and bone disorder. Results. Out of 93 patients 9 died during study and 1 underwent kidney transplantation. Malnutrition and hypervolemia were two main non-cardiovascular risk factors among deceased subjects. Leptin showed a significant direct correlation with nutritional BMI (r = 0.72, P <0.001), fat tissue index (r = 0.74, P <0.001) and statistically significant inverse correlation with leantissue index (r = -0.349, P <0.05) and inverse correlation with volemic parameters (overhydration / extracellular water ratio (r = -0.38, P <0.001), but no association with anemia and mineral bone parameters was observed. Elevated leptin levels were associated with better survival. However, no statistically significant difference in survival rates was observed between the study groups (Log-Rank P =0.214, Breslow P =0.211, Tarone-Ware P=0.212). Conclusion: Deceased patients had significantly lower leptin values. Leptin was associated with two non-cardiovascular risk factors for mortality: malnutrition and hypervolemia.

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THE ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN 1β GENE POLYMORPHISM IN DEVELOPMENT OF PREDOMINANTY SENSORY CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYNEUROPATHY

Medical Immunology (Russia) ◽

10.15789/1563-0625-2019-1-141-148 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 141-148

Author(s):

T. E. Popova ◽

N. A. Shnayder ◽

M. M. Petrova ◽

A. A. Tappakhov

Keyword(s):

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy ◽

Study Groups ◽

Krasnoyarsk Region ◽

Genotype Frequencies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Risk Of Disease ◽

T Locus ◽

Il1b Gene

The aim of the present study was a search for associations between the polymorphic allelic variants 3954 C>T (rs1143644) and -511C>T (rs16944) of IL1B gene in the patients with sensory predominant chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies (SP-CIDP) from Krasnoyarsk Region and the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. A total of 95 people were examined, having been divided into 2 groups according to their residence. The first group consisted of 42 patients living in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. The second group included 53 patients living in the Krasnoyarsk Region. It was revealed that the carriers of homozygous CC genotype in the 3954C>T locus were more often detected in patients from the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, and the carriage of TT genotype is found exclusively in the patients from Krasnoyarsk Region. When comparing the different genotype frequencies in the -511CT locus, we did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the two groups of patients. Presence of the CC genotype of the 3954C>T locus was associated with a significantly increased risk of disease in the patients from Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, while carrying CT and TT genotypes at the locus 3954C>T and the TT genotype at the locus -511C>T, is associated with increased risk disorder among patients of the Krasnoyarsk Region. The frequency of carriage of various genotypes in the 3954C>T and -511C>T loci of the IL1B gene was prevalent among the patients from the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, the association of genotypes of CC/CT prevailed in patients from the Krasnoyarsk Region (p = 0.005), as well as prevalence of CC/CC and CC/CT (p = 0.023). However, there was no statistically significant difference in occurrence of individual genotypes between the two study groups. When analyzing the carrier frequency of high-producing alleles of 3954C and -511C in patients with SP-CIDP, it was shown that they were significantly more common among patients from the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic and patients from the Krasnoyarsk Region than the low-producing 3954T and -511T alleles. Moreover, the 3954C allele was more often found in the Yakut group (p = 0.001), and in the -511C allele for the Krasnoyarsk group of patients (p = 0.05). The presence of 3954C and -511C alleles increases the risk of SP-CIDP development in patients from the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, as well as carriage of 3954T allele in patients from the Krasnoyarsk Region.

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To Evaluate the Role of Pirani Score in Deformity Assessment and Management of Club Foot by Ponseti Method – A Hospital Based Prospective Study from Tirupati

Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare ◽

10.18410/jebmh/2021/485 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (29) ◽

pp. 2633-2638

Author(s):

Venkat R ◽

Suguru Rav Kumar ◽

Penugonda Ravi Shankar ◽

Deety Lakshmi Venkatesh

Keyword(s):

Prospective Study ◽

Scoring System ◽

Club Foot ◽

Study Groups ◽

Ponseti Method ◽

Classification Systems ◽

Statistical Inferences ◽

Pirani Score ◽

Ethical Approval

BACKGROUND Pirani scoring system is one of the classification systems in management of club foot which is simple and easy to use. However, there is paucity of studies using Pirani system to determine the severity and monitor progress in the treatment of club foot. We therefore set out with the aim of assessing severity and monitoring the progress of treatment using the Pirani scoring system. The Pirani scoring system, together with the Ponseti method of club foot management, was assessed for its predictive value. METHODS It was a hospital-based prospective study of 57 club foot in 41 patients designed to evaluate the role of Pirani score in deformity assessment and management of club foot by Ponseti method. Consecutive patients presenting at the outpatient department at SVRRGGH, Tirupati with idiopathic club foot, and in-patients department with idiopathic club foot were recruited into the study. Informed consent was obtained from parents/guardians of the patients that were recruited in the study. This was a prerequisite for obtaining the ethical approval. Data collected from the study groups was entered into a worksheet, and analysis was performed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software for windows version 21. Significant statistical inferences were drawn at p & lt ; 0.05. RESULTS The correlation between the midfoot score, hindfoot score, Pirani score and the number of casts to achieve correction was significant (P = 0.001). Also, there was correlation between the Pirani score and the need for tenotomy (P = 0.001); between the number of casts to achieve correction and the need for tenotomy (P = 0.001). Moreover, the progress of treatment can be monitored with the Pirani score (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Pirani scoring system is a simple, easy, quick and reliable system to determine severity and monitor progress in the treatment of club foot with excellent interobserver variability. KEYWORDS Pirani Score, Club Foot, Ponseti Method

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Effect of a single preoperative dose of oral antibiotic to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection following below-knee dermatological flap and graft repair

Dermatology Practical & Conceptual ◽

10.5826/dpc.0901a08 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 28-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Helena Rosengren ◽

Clare Heal ◽

Petra Buettner

Keyword(s):

Surgical Site Infection ◽

Antibiotic Prophylaxis ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Study Groups ◽

High Dose ◽

Antibiotic Administration ◽

Oral Antibiotic ◽

Site Infection ◽

Double Blind

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) rates for below-knee dermatological surgery are unacceptably high, particularly following complex flap and graft closures. The role of antibiotic prophylaxis for these surgical cases is uncertain. Objective: To determine whether SSI following complex dermatological closures on the leg could be reduced by antibiotic prophylaxis administered as a single oral preoperative dose. Methods: A total of 115 participants were randomized to 2 g of oral cephalexin or placebo 40-60 minutes prior to surgical incision in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at a primary care skin cancer clinic in North Queensland, Australia. Results: Overall 17/55 (30.9%) controls and 14/55 (25.5%) intervention participants developed infection (P = 0.525). There was no difference between the study groups in adverse symptoms that could be attributed to high-dose antibiotic administration (P = 1).

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Expression levels of miR-21, miR-146b and miR-326 as potential biomarkers in Behcet's disease

Biomarkers in Medicine ◽

10.2217/bmm-2019-0098 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 1339-1348

Author(s):

Golamreza Jadideslam ◽

Khalil Ansarin ◽

Ebrahim Sakhinia ◽

Zohreh Babaloo ◽

Alireza Abhari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Behçet’S Disease ◽

Behcet’S Disease ◽

Behçet's Disease ◽

Study Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Behcet's Disease ◽

Expression Rate ◽

Eye Involvement

Aim: Behcet's disease (BD) is a vasculitis. Lines of evidence suggest miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers in autoimmune diseases. This study was designed to investigate the potential role of miR-21, miR-146b and miR-326 as biomarkers for diagnosis, predicting organs involvement and measuring BD activity. Patients & methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study groups consisted of 46 BD patients and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. The expression rates of three miRNAs were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: Our results demonstrated significantly lower expression of miR-21 and miR-146b and higher expression of miR-326 in BD patients. MiR-21 expression rate in patients with severe eye involvement and miR-326 expression rate in patients with uveitis and severe eye involvement were increased. Conclusion: MiR-326 expression rate can be used as a biomarker for prediction of uveitis and severe eye involvement in patients with BD.

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