Medicine
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Comparative Study
Comparison of gender identification using exfoliated cells obtained from toothbrush and miswak: A longitudinal study.
Gender identification plays a pivotal role in forensic medicine. Among the various methods used for gender identification, deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) based methods are considered accurate. Exfoliated oral mucosal cells that are harvested from oral hygiene aids can be potentially used for gender identification using real-time polymerase chain rection (PCR). ⋯ The differences seen at the end of 2nd month and 6th month were statistically significant. Miswak is a better tool to harvest exfoliated cells for gender identification when compared to a toothbrush. Hence, miswak can serve as a potential tool in forensic medicine for DNA extraction and subsequently victim identification.
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Network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used in the present study to clarify the molecular mechanism of two traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions of climacteric syndrome. Based on oral availability and drug similarity, the main active components of Erzhi Pill and Erxian Decoction were screened through the platform of traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology. The target database of climacteric syndrome was established by using GENECARD, OMIM, PharmGKB, Targets and Drugbank. ⋯ Through network analysis, topology and module analysis, TP53, AKT1, Jun, ESR1, IL1B, CASP3, MMP9, PTGS2, HIF1A, MYC and EGFR could be considered as potential targets of the 2 prescriptions for alleviating climacteric syndrome. The effects of Erzhi pill and Erxian Decoction on climacteric syndrome are mainly in the pathway of lipid and atherosclerosis, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in diabetic complications. The active components in Erzhi Pill - Erxian Decoction, such as quercetin, show considerable potential as a candidate drug for the treatment of climacteric syndrome.
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Central venous catheter (CVC) placement is a challenging procedure with known iatrogenic risks. However, there are no residency program requirements to demonstrate baseline CVC procedural competency. Competency-based procedural education has been shown to decrease CVC-associated morbidity, but there has been limited literature about institution-wide efforts to ensure initial trainee competency for CVC placement. ⋯ All participating interns demonstrated simulation-based competency allowing them to place CVCs under supervised clinical care. Dangerous actions, however, were not uncommon. Simulation-based teaching and learning frameworks were a feasible method to promote patient safety through an institutional-wide verification of preliminary procedural competency.
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Observational Study
The potential mechanism of HIF-1α and CD147 in the development of triple-negative breast cancer.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis, and the outcomes of common therapy were not favorable. ⋯ CD147 could be a biomarker for the prognosis of TNBC and closely related to the expression of HIF-1α.
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The current work aims to evaluate the association between genetic mutations in thymidylate synthetase (TYMS gene in exon1 and partial regions of promotor and intron 1 [877 bp, 657,220-658,096 bp]) and the therapeutic outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Iraqi patients. An observational cross-sectional study involving 95 RA patients with established RA patients based on their methotrexate treatment responsiveness. Genetic sequencing of the TYMS gene was performed for all patients according to the instruction manuals of the sequencing company (Macrogen Inc. ⋯ In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting to the effect of age, sex, smoking, and disease duration, the TCrs2853741 genotype was associated with non-responders (P value = .030). In contrast, the ACrs260641 genotype, after adjusting to the effect of age, sex, and smoking, was associated with non-responders (P value = .035). Genetic polymorphism of the TYMS gene, especially in TCrs2853741 and ACrs260641, predicts non-responder to MTX treatment in RA, while the presence of the CTAT haplotype predicts a good response to MTX treatment.