Annotating Privacy Policies in the Sharing Economy

Applications (apps) of the Digital Sharing Economy (DSE), such as Uber, Airbnb, and TaskRabbit, have become a main enabler of economic growth and shared prosperity in modern-day societies. However, the complex exchange of goods, services, and data that takes place over these apps frequently puts their end-users' privacy at risk. Privacy policies of DSE apps are provided to disclose how private user data is being collected and handled. However, in reality, such policies are verbose and difficult to understand, leaving DSE users vulnerable to privacy intrusive practices. To address these concerns, in this paper, we propose an automated approach for annotating privacy policies in the DSE market. Our approach identifies data collection claims in these policies and maps them to the quality features of their apps. Visual and textual annotations are then used to further explain and justify these claims. The proposed approach is evaluated with 18 DSE app users. The results show that annotating privacy policies can significantly enhance their comprehensibility to the average DSE user. Our findings are intended to help DSE app developers to draft more comprehensible privacy policies as well as help their end-users to make more informed decisions in one of the fastest growing software ecosystems in the world

Hepatoprotective and Anti-oxidant effects of Nepeta Ispahanica Boiss extract on CCL4 induced liver Injury

Background: Natural products might be applicable as remedial agents with their roles in oxidative stress regulation and as natural antioxidants.  In this regard, Nepeta ispahanica bioss has been utilized in traditional medicine for several functions. Despite numerous properties of the Nepeta species including their antioxidant properties, Nepeta ispahanica boiss effects against hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) have not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of Nepeta ispahanica boiss on CCL4 induced acute hepatic injury in an animal model.  Materials and Methods: The experiment used a total of 36 male Wistar rats, that were divided into six groups. Except for the intact control groups, all groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 after pre‐treatment period with distilled water, Nepeta ispahanica boiss extracts, or legalon. After 24 hours, rats were anesthetized, sacrificed and blood samples were obtained. Serum level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), urea and plasma levels of total protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated. Besides, SOD and CAT enzyme activities and GSH levels were determined.  Histopathological studies also were done in liver tissue samples. Results: After the CCl4 injection, oxidative stress‐mediated necrotic acute liver injuries were observed. Also, serum ALP, AST, and ALT elevated. Hepatic lipid peroxidation and related decrease of endogenous antioxidants and antioxidative enzymes; lipid peroxidation markers, and oxidative stress markers were presented. Nevertheless, histological and biochemical markers of liver injury were reserved by the pre‐treatment with Nepeta ispahanica boiss extracts. Conclusion: The present study confirmed that the administration of Nepeta ispahanica boiss extracts before exposure to CCl4, induced significant hepatoprotective effects. These findings verified that Nepeta ispahanica boiss has favorable properties as an antioxidant and hepatoprotective agent

The Effect of Vitamin A on Decreased β-hCG Production in Molar Pregnancy

Background and Aim: Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is defined as a group of disorders; they are characterized by uncontrolled trophoblastic cell proliferation and overproduction of β-HCG. It seems that an inappropriate diet is one of the major risk factors of GTD. Regardless of the size of the uterus; mole depletion by curettage suction is usually the preferred treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin A and curettage suction on the faster reduction of β-hCG level, and faster recovery of disease, consequently. Materials and Methods: In this study case (n=26) and control (n=26) groups received 50,000 IU of vitamin A intramuscularly, before and after curettage. β-hCG was measured weekly and after reaching zero every month for six months. RIA was used for measurement. Results: Vitamin A reduced the level of β-hCG to zero in the patient compared to the control, one week earlier; this effect was statistically significant (P-Value <0.05). One of the members of the control group during follow-up progressed to gestational trophoblastic disease (GTN). There was no significant relationship between ABO blood groups among the two groups (P-Value: 0.9). There was no significant relationship between gravity, parity and hematology parameters between the two groups (P-Value >0.05). Conclusion: Finally, it can be said that vitamin A intake in patients with GTD, along with other therapies, can improve the speed of recovery; it can prevent the disease progression. However, it does not prevent progression to GTN, completely. Therefore, further studies are needed in future studies

Evaluation of the Ki-67 and MCM3 Expression in Cytologic Smear of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Statement of the Problem: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent oral cancer whose 5-year survival rate is 80% for early-detected lesions and nearly 30-50% for advanced lesions. Early detection of oral cancers and precancerous lesions can improve the patient’s survival and decrease the morbidity. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the Ki-67 and MCM3 expression in cytologic smear of oral SCC (OSCC). Materials and Method: We examined 48 oral brush biopsies including 28 OSCC and 20 healthy non-smoking samples. Immunocytochemistry staining was performed for Ki-67 and MCM3 by using an EnVision-labeled peroxidase system, and labeling index (LI) was calculated. Results: Out of 28 OSCC cases, 27(96.4%) cases contained MCM3 positive cells and 22(78%) cases contained Ki-67 positive cells. All normal mucosa were Ki-67 and MCM3 negative. MCM3 and Ki-67 LI were significantly higher in OSCC than normal mucosa (p< 0.001). MCM3 LI was significantly higher than Ki-67 LI in OSCC group (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Immunocytologic evaluation of Ki-67 and MCM3 can be used for early detection of OSCC. Furthermore, MCM3 may be a more sensitive cytologic biomarker than Ki-67 in SCC patients

N,N′-Dicyclo­hexyl-N′′,N′′-dimethyl­phospho­ric triamide

In the title compound, C14H30N3OP, both cyclo­hexyl groups adopt chair conformations with the NH unit in an equatorial position. The P atom adopts a slightly distorted tetra­hedral environment. In the (CH3)2NP(O) unit, the O—P—N—C torsion angles, showing the orientations of the methyl groups with respect to the phosphoryl group, are −166.6 (3) and 34.6 (4)°. The O atom of the P=O group acts as a double hydrogen-bond acceptor and is involved in two different inter­molecular N—H⋯OP hydrogen bonds, building R 2 2(8) rings that are further linked into chains running parallel to the b axis

An increase in cesarean section rate during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Iran

Background The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on healthcare services is likely to affect birth outcomes including the delivery mode. However, recent evidence has been conflicting in this regard. The study aimed to assess changes to C-section rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of women delivered in the maternity department of hospitals in all provinces of Iran before the COVID-19 pandemic (February-August 30, 2019) and during the pandemic (February-August 30, 2020). Data were collected through the Iranian Maternal and Neonatal Network (IMAN), a country-wide electronic health record database management system for maternal and neonatal information. A total of 1,208,671 medical records were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22. The differences in C-section rates according to the studied variables were tested using the χ2 test. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors associated with C-section. Results A significant rise was observed in the rates of C-section during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic (52.9% vs 50.8%; p = .001). The rates for preeclampsia (3.0% vs 1.3%), gestational diabetes (6.1% vs 3.0%), preterm birth (11.6% vs 6.9%), IUGR (1.2% vs 0.4%), LBW (11.2% vs 7.8%), and low Apgar score at first minute (4.2% vs 3.2%) were higher in women who delivered by C-section compared to those with normal delivery (P = .001). Conclusions The overall C-section rate during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic period. C-section was associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Thus, preventing the overuse of C-section especially during pandemic becomes an urgent need for maternal and neonatal health in Iran

Impact of Rifampin Induction on the Fermentation Production of Ganoderic Acids by Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum

Backgrounds and Objectives: Ganoderic acids are the most valuable secondary metabolites in Ganoderma lucidum traditional medicinal mushrooms, which have shown antitumor properties in many studies. However, application of ganoderic acids is limited due to low yield production. Recently, it was shown that static liquid culture could be a proven technology for producing ganoderic acids in Ganoderma lucidum, and that applying elicitors could be a potential strategy to improve their production. Materials and Methods: In this work, the effect of rifampin, a cyto-chromes P450 inducer, on production of ganoderic acids was studied, and Response Surface Methodology was applied to optimize the elicitor induction. Then total ganoderic acid in the harvested mycelia was extracted and its absorbency was measured. Results and Conclusion: The results showed an increase in the concen-tration of ganoderic acid in all samples. Moreover, optimum concentration and induction time of rifampin were obtained. The proposed model predicted the maximum ganoderic acid production as 18.6 mg g-1 in which the optimal concentration and time induction obtained were 100 μM and day 9, respectively. This work demonstrated a useful method for the enhanced production of ganoderic acids by Ganoderma lucidum.

ارزیابی ریسک نسبی اثرات تحریکی در تراشکاران مواجهه یافته با میست مایعات فلزکاری منتخب از شهر تهران

Background and Objectives: Occupational exposure to metalworking fluid mist causes respiratory irritation. This study aimed to assess the relative risk of irritating effects in occupational exposure to metalworking fluids of lathe process. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five subjects exposed to oil mist as exposed group and 65 administrative staff of the same industry as control group were selected. Health and Safety Executive/Health and Safety Laboratory (HSE/HSL) questionnaire was used for irritating effects. The US National Institutes of Health and Safety (NIOSH) method 5026 was used to monitoring respiratory exposure to oil mist. We also calculated the relative risk of irritating symptoms using MedCalc software. The study was approved by the ethics committee and conducted with the consent of participants. Results: The mean time-weighted exposure to mineral oil mist in lathe workers was 7.10±3.49 mg/m3. The amount of throat irritation in machinists was significantly higher than the control group (p-value = 0.044).The relative risk of irritating effects in the eyes, nose, mouth and throat in machinists is slightly higher than control subjects (p-value = 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the occupational exposure in 67% of lathe workers is higher than recommended exposure limit in Iran. Subjects by oil mists exposure represented a risk of irritating effects in the respiratory tract, especially the throat. For this reason, continuous assessment and control of exposure is are needed to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.زمینه و اهداف: مواجهه شغلی با میست مایعات فلزکاری باعث بروز اثرات تحریکی در مجاری تنفسی می‌گردد. هدف مطالعه حاضر ارزیابی ریسک نسبی اثرات تحریکی در مواجهه شغلی با میست مایعات فلزکاری در تراشکاری است. مواد و روش­ها: در این مطالعه 65 نفر از تراشکاران مواجهه یافته با میست روغن به‌عنوان گروه مواجهه و 65 نفر از کادر اداری همان صنعت به‌عنوان گروه کنترل انتخاب گردیدند. جهت بررسی اثرات تحریکی میست روغن از پرسشنامه آژانس ایمني، بهداشت و محیط‌زیست/آزمایشگاه ایمني و بهداشت HSE/HSL و جهت پایش میزان مواجهه تنفسی با میست روغن از روش 5026 انستیتو ملی ایمنی و بهداشت آمریکا (NIOSH) استفاده شد. میزان ریسک نسبی علائم تحریکی نیز با استفاده از نرم­افزار MedCalc محاسبه شد. مطالعه حاضر دارای تاییدیه کمیته اخلاق بوده و با کسب رضایت از شرکت­کنندگان انجام‌شده است. یافته­ ها: میانگین مواجهه وزنی-زمانی با میست روغن معدنی در کارگران تراشکاری 49/3 ± 10/7 میلی‌گرم در مترمکعب ارزیابی شد. تحریک حلق در ماشینکاران به‌طور معناداری بالاتر از گروه شاهد است (044/0 p-value=). ریسک نسبی عوارض تحریک در چشم، بینی، دهان و حلق در ماشینکاران اندکی بالاتر از افراد گروه شاهد محاسبه شد (05/0 p-value=). نتیجه‌گیری: در این مطالعه مواجهه شغلی در 67٪ از کارگران تراشکاری بالاتر از حد توصیه‌شده در ایران است. ریسک اثرات تحریکی در مجاری تنفسی به‌ویژه حلق در ماشینکاران دارای مواجهه با میست مایعات فلزکاری نسبت به گروه کنترل بالاتر است. به همین دلیل ضرورت ارزیابی و کنترل مداوم مواجهه در جهت کاهش ریسک و پیشگیری از بروز بیماری‌های مزمن مدنظر قرار دارد

Diagnostic Performance of Ultrasonography for Identification of Small Bowel Obstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is known as a common cause of acute abdominal complaints in the emergency department (ED). The modality of choice for the diagnosis of SBO has not yet been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of SBO. Methods: Systematic search was performed on five electronic databases including Medline, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and the retrieval period was from the inception of each database to November 2023. The quality of the included studies were investigated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). The pooled values of diagnostic characteristics for ultrasonography were estimated using meta-Disc and Stata statistical software. Results: Twenty-one studies with a total of 1977 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the summary ROC curve of ultrasonography for diagnosing SBO were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91–0.95), 0.8 (95% CI: 0.77–0.83), 5.69 (95% CI: 3.64–8.89), 0.1 (95% CI: 0.07–0.16), 83.51 (95% CI: 18.12–182.91) and 0.96, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this meta-analysis showed that the utilization of ultrasonography holds promise as a diagnostic imaging for SBO with high accuracy. However, additional worldwide studies are essential to get more evidence on the value of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of SBO

Global burden of 288 causes of death and life expectancy decomposition in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important following large-scale mortality spikes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. When systematically analysed, mortality rates and life expectancy allow comparisons of the consequences of causes of death globally and over time, providing a nuanced understanding of the effect of these causes on global populations. METHODS The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 cause-of-death analysis estimated mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) from 288 causes of death by age-sex-location-year in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations for each year from 1990 until 2021. The analysis used 56 604 data sources, including data from vital registration and verbal autopsy as well as surveys, censuses, surveillance systems, and cancer registries, among others. As with previous GBD rounds, cause-specific death rates for most causes were estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model-a modelling tool developed for GBD to assess the out-of-sample predictive validity of different statistical models and covariate permutations and combine those results to produce cause-specific mortality estimates-with alternative strategies adapted to model causes with insufficient data, substantial changes in reporting over the study period, or unusual epidemiology. YLLs were computed as the product of the number of deaths for each cause-age-sex-location-year and the standard life expectancy at each age. As part of the modelling process, uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated using the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles from a 1000-draw distribution for each metric. We decomposed life expectancy by cause of death, location, and year to show cause-specific effects on life expectancy from 1990 to 2021. We also used the coefficient of variation and the fraction of population affected by 90% of deaths to highlight concentrations of mortality. Findings are reported in counts and age-standardised rates. Methodological improvements for cause-of-death estimates in GBD 2021 include the expansion of under-5-years age group to include four new age groups, enhanced methods to account for stochastic variation of sparse data, and the inclusion of COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality-which includes excess mortality associated with the pandemic, excluding COVID-19, lower respiratory infections, measles, malaria, and pertussis. For this analysis, 199 new country-years of vital registration cause-of-death data, 5 country-years of surveillance data, 21 country-years of verbal autopsy data, and 94 country-years of other data types were added to those used in previous GBD rounds. FINDINGS The leading causes of age-standardised deaths globally were the same in 2019 as they were in 1990; in descending order, these were, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections. In 2021, however, COVID-19 replaced stroke as the second-leading age-standardised cause of death, with 94·0 deaths (95% UI 89·2-100·0) per 100 000 population. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the rankings of the leading five causes, lowering stroke to the third-leading and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to the fourth-leading position. In 2021, the highest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (271·0 deaths [250·1-290·7] per 100 000 population) and Latin America and the Caribbean (195·4 deaths [182·1-211·4] per 100 000 population). The lowest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 were in the high-income super-region (48·1 deaths [47·4-48·8] per 100 000 population) and southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania (23·2 deaths [16·3-37·2] per 100 000 population). Globally, life expectancy steadily improved between 1990 and 2019 for 18 of the 22 investigated causes. Decomposition of global and regional life expectancy showed the positive effect that reductions in deaths from enteric infections, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and neonatal deaths, among others have contributed to improved survival over the study period. However, a net reduction of 1·6 years occurred in global life expectancy between 2019 and 2021, primarily due to increased death rates from COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality. Life expectancy was highly variable between super-regions over the study period, with southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania gaining 8·3 years (6·7-9·9) overall, while having the smallest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 (0·4 years). The largest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (3·6 years). Additionally, 53 of the 288 causes of death were highly concentrated in locations with less than 50% of the global population as of 2021, and these causes of death became progressively more concentrated since 1990, when only 44 causes showed this pattern. The concentration phenomenon is discussed heuristically with respect to enteric and lower respiratory infections, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and measles. INTERPRETATION Long-standing gains in life expectancy and reductions in many of the leading causes of death have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the adverse effects of which were spread unevenly among populations. Despite the pandemic, there has been continued progress in combatting several notable causes of death, leading to improved global life expectancy over the study period. Each of the seven GBD super-regions showed an overall improvement from 1990 and 2021, obscuring the negative effect in the years of the pandemic. Additionally, our findings regarding regional variation in causes of death driving increases in life expectancy hold clear policy utility. Analyses of shifting mortality trends reveal that several causes, once widespread globally, are now increasingly concentrated geographically. These changes in mortality concentration, alongside further investigation of changing risks, interventions, and relevant policy, present an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of mortality-reduction strategies. Examining patterns in mortality concentration might reveal areas where successful public health interventions have been implemented. Translating these successes to locations where certain causes of death remain entrenched can inform policies that work to improve life expectancy for people everywhere. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation