Digital intervention for public health: searching for implementing characteristics, concepts and recommendations: scoping review

Studying the impact of digital interventions on public health can help ensure that the offered services produce the desired results. In order to address these factors, the subsequent study uses a scope review to evaluate the state of the field while concentrating on ideas and suggestions that represent factors that have been crucial in the management of digital intervention for public health. To shed light on the traits, ideas and suggestions related to public health digital intervention, a scoping review was carried out. Five electronic databases were used to locate pertinent research that were published before February 2022. All texts were examined, and study abstracts were scrutinized to determine their eligibility. The last analysis of this study included fifteen publications; five reviews, four qualitative studies, two quantitative studies, one viewpoint study, one mixed-method study, one perspective study, and one interventional study. The key ideas for digital interventions in population management and health studies are presented in this overview. Many concepts, implementation characteristics and recommendations have been raised which highlight the future role of these interventions to enhance public engagement and health equity

Different Methods to Decrease Seroma Formation Post Hernioplasty of Ventral Hernias

Background: Wounds can become infected associated with serous collection in the wound dead space in a condition known as seroma. After abdominal wall hernias correction, a variety of treatments have been tried to decrease seroma formation. Objective: To assess the rule of different modalities used in prevention of seroma formation post abdominal wall hernias repair. Patients and Methods: At Zagazig University Faculty of Medicine's General Surgery Department we carried out a clinical trial investigation. Transverse incisions and suction drains have been inserted in all patients undergoing hernioplasty and onlay mesh repair. The patients were divided into 4 groups: Group A: Classic hernioplasty for ventral hernia. Group B: Applying of histoacryl intraoperative after onlay mesh fixation. Group C: Applying of fibrin glue intraoperative after onlay mesh fixation. Group D: block closure of dead space after onlay mesh fixation. The patients were followed up in inpatients wards for 24 hours then discharged to continue their care and follow up in outpatient clinic at 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Results: When it came to the reduction of seroma production or other postoperative outcomes, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Fluid buildup can be avoided with the use of sclerotherapy, a minimally-invasive procedure that eliminates empty space. Chemical agents, tetracyclines, and talc were used satisfactorily with minimal complication rates

Preparation of liposomes: a novel application of microengineered membranes

Liposomes with a mean size of 59–308 nm suitable for pulmonary drug delivery were prepared by the ethanol injection method using nickel microengineered flat disc membranes with a uniform pore size of 5–40 μm and a pore spacing of 80 or 200 μm. An ethanolic phase containing 20–50 mg ml−1 phospholipid (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) or Lipoid® E80), 5–12.5 mg ml−1 stabilizer (cholesterol, stearic acid or cocoa butter), and 0 or 5 mg ml−1 vitamin E was injected through the membrane into an agitated aqueous phase at a controlled flux of 142–355 l m−2 h−1 and a shear stress on the membrane surface of 0.80–16 Pa. The mean particle size obtained under optimal conditions was 84 and 59 nm for Lipoid E80 and POPC liposomes, respectively. The particle size of the prepared liposomes increased with an increase in the pore size of the membrane and decreased with an increase in the pore spacing. Lipoid E80 liposomes stabilized by cholesterol or stearic acid maintained their initial size within 3 months. A high entrapment efficiency of 99.87% was achieved when Lipoid E80 liposomes were loaded with vitamin E. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed spherical multi-lamellar structure of vesicles. The reproducibility of the developed fabrication method was high

Preparation of liposomes: a novel application of microengineered membranes-from laboratory scale to large scale

A novel ethanol injection method using microengineered nickel membrane was employed to produce POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and Lipoid® E80 liposomes at different production scales. A stirred cell device was used to produce 73 ml of the liposomal suspension and the product volume was then increased by a factor of 8 at the same transmembrane flux (140 l m−2 h−1), volume ratio of the aqueous to organic phase (4.5) and peak shear stress on the membrane surface (2.7 Pa). Two different strategies for shear control on the membrane surface have been used in the scaled-up versions of the process: a cross flow recirculation of the aqueous phase across the membrane surface and low frequency oscillation of the membrane surface (∼40 Hz) in a direction normal to the flow of the injected organic phase. Using the same membrane with a pore size of 5 μm and pore spacing of 200 μm in all devices, the size of the POPC liposomes produced in all three membrane systems was highly consistent (80–86 nm) and the coefficient of variation ranged between 26 and 36%. The smallest and most uniform liposomal nanoparticles were produced in a novel oscillating membrane system. The mean vesicle size increased with increasing the pore size of the membrane and the injection time. An increase in the vesicle size over time was caused by deposition of newly formed phospholipid fragments onto the surface of the vesicles already formed in the suspension and this increase was most pronounced for the cross flow system, due to long recirculation time. The final vesicle size in all membrane systems was suitable for their use as drug carriers in pharmaceutical formulations

Vitamin E encapsulation within pharmaceutical drug-carriers prepared using membrane contactors

Vitamin E encapsulation within pharmaceutical drug-carriers prepared using membrane contactor

Production of liposomes using microengineered membrane and co-flow microfluidic device

Two modified ethanol injection methods have been used to produce Lipoid® E80 and POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) liposomes: (i) injection of the organic phase through a microengineered nickel membrane kept under controlled shear conditions and (ii) injection of the organic phase through a tapered-end glass capillary into co-flowing aqueous stream using coaxial assemblies of glass capillaries. The organic phase was composed of 20 mg ml−1 of phospholipids and 5 mg ml−1 of cholesterol dissolved in ethanol and the aqueous phase was ultra-pure water. Self-assembly of phospholipid molecules into multiple concentric bilayers via phospolipid bilayered fragments was initiated by interpenetration of the two miscible solvents. The mean vesicle size in the membrane method was 80 ± 3 nm and consistent across all of the devices (stirred cell, cross-flow module and oscillating membrane system), indicating that local or temporal variations of the shear stress on the membrane surface had no effect on the vesicle size, on the condition that a maximum shear stress was kept constant. The mean vesicle size in co-flow microfludic device decreased from 131 to 73 nm when the orifice diameter in the injection capillary was reduced from 209 to 42 μm at the aqueous and organic phase flow rate of 25 and 5.55 ml h−1, respectively. The vesicle size was significantly affected by the mixing efficiency, which was controlled by the orifice size and liquid flow rates. The smallest vesicle size was obtained under conditions that promote the highest mixing rate. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to study the mixing process in the vicinity of the orifice

Distribution of HLA-DRB1/DQB1 alleles and DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes among Tunisian patients with autoimmune hepatitis

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by necrotic inflammation leading to hepatocyte destruction. The association of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) with AIH development and onset is not fully elucidated especially in the Tunisian population.Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the association of HLA class II alleles and DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes with AIH in Tunisian population.Patients and Methods: A total of 30 AIH patients and 60 healthy controls were included in the study. HLA class II typing was performed by Single-specific-primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) technique.Results: Among 13 DRB1 and 5 DQB1 alleles resolved, our results show a positive association of HLADRB1 ⁄03 (38.3% vs. 21.6%, OR = 2.24, P = 0.028) and negative association of HLA-DRB1⁄11 (3.3% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.019). The analysis of DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes in cases and controls revealed 11-shared haplotypes with a frequency exceeding 1%. HLA-DRB1⁄11-DQB1⁄03 haplotype showed a decreased frequency in AIH patients (1.6% vs. 15.8%, P = 0.009) and may be considered as an haplotype of resistance to AIH.Conclusions: To our Knowledge, this is the first study performed to detect the HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 alleles associated with predisposition to AIH in Tunisian patients. The search for HLA predisposing genes to AIH may permit an earlier diagnosis allowing a better management and treatment of the disease in order to avoid liver transplantation

pH-sensitive micelles for targeted drug delivery prepared using a novel membrane contactor method

A novel membrane contactor method was used to produce size-controlled poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polycaprolactone (PEG-PCL) copolymer micelles composed of diblock copolymers with different average molecular weights, Mn (9200 or 10 400 Da) and hydrophilic fractions, f (0.67 or 0.59). By injecting 570 L m–2 h–1 of the organic phase (a 1 mg mL–1 solution of PEG-PCL in tetrahydrofuran) through a microengineered nickel membrane with a hexagonal pore array and 200 μm pore spacing into deionized water agitated at 700 rpm, the micelle size linearly increased from 92 nm for a 5-μm pore size to 165 nm for a 40-μm pore size. The micelle size was finely tuned by the agitation rate, transmembrane flux and aqueous to organic phase ratio. An encapsulation efficiency of 89% and a drug loading of 75% (w/w) were achieved when a hydrophobic drug (vitamin E) was entrapped within the micelles, as determined by ultracentrifugation method. The drug-loaded micelles had a mean size of 146 ± 7 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.09 ± 0.01, and a ζ potential of −19.5 ± 0.2 mV. When drug-loaded micelles where stored for 50 h, a pH sensitive drug release was achieved and a maximum amount of vitamin E (23%) was released at the pH of 1.9. When a pH-sensitive hydrazone bond was incorporated between PEG and PCL blocks, no significant change in micelle size was observed at the same micellization conditions

First case of childhood Takayasu arteritis with renal artery aneurysms

Takayasu arteritis is a large vessel systemic granulomatous vasculitis characterized by stenosis or obliteration of large and medium sized arteries. It commonly involves elastic arteries such as the aorta and its main branches. Renal artery involvement is rare and has not been reported in a child. We report a 12-year-old boy with Takayasu arteritis who developed severe hypertension, proteinuria, microscopic hematuria and renal dysfunction. Conventional angiography demonstrated aneurysms of both renal arteries and multiple microaneurysms of the superior mesenteric artery. This case report illustrates that the children with Takayasu arteritis can develop renal involvement resulting in hematuria, proteinuria and even renal failure