A study on sex estimation by using machine learning algorithms with parameters obtained from computerized tomography images of the cranium

The aim of this study is to test whether sex prediction can be made by using machine learning algorithms (ML) with parameters taken from computerized tomography (CT) images of cranium and mandible skeleton which are known to be dimorphic. CT images of the cranium skeletons of 150 men and 150 women were included in the study. 25 parameters determined were tested with different ML algorithms. Accuracy (Acc), Specificity (Spe), Sensitivity (Sen), F1 score (F1), Matthews correlation coefficient (Mcc) values were included as performance criteria and Minitab 17 package program was used in descriptive statistical analyses. p <= 0.05 value was considered as statistically significant. In ML algorithms, the highest prediction was found with 0.90 Acc, 0.80 Mcc, 0.90 Spe, 0.90 Sen, 0.90 F1 values as a result of LR algorithms. As a result of confusion matrix, it was found that 27 of 30 males and 27 of 30 females were predicted correctly. Acc ratios of other MLs were found to be between 0.81 and 0.88. It has been concluded that the LR algorithm to be applied to the parameters obtained from CT images of the cranium skeleton will predict sex with high accuracy

Norditerpenoids with selective anti-cholinesterase activity from the roots of Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth

Inhibition of cholinesterases remains one of a few available treatment strategies for neurodegenerative dementias such as Alzheimer's disease and related conditions. The current study was inspired by previous data on anticholinesterase properties of diterpenoids from Perovskia atriplicifolia and other Lamiaceae species. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition by the three new natural compounds-(1R,15R)-1-acetoxycryptotanshinone (1), (1R)-1-acetoxytanshinone IIA (2), and (15R)-1-oxoaegyptinone A (3)-as well as, new for this genus, isograndifoliol (4) were assessed. Three of these compounds exhibited profound inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and much weaker inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). All compounds (1-4) selectively inhibited BChE (IC(50) = 2.4, 7.9, 50.8, and 0.9 µM, respectively), whereas only compounds 3 and 4 moderately inhibited AChE (IC(50) 329.8 µM and 342.9 µM). Molecular docking and in silico toxicology prediction studies were also performed on the active compounds. Natural oxygenated norditerpenoids from the traditional Central Asian medicinal plant P. atriplicifolia are selective BChE inhibitors. Their high potential makes them useful candidate molecules for further investigation as lead compounds in the development of a natural drug against dementia caused by neurodegenerative diseases

Physiotherapy outweighed multiple therapy methods of bell’s palsy: a review study

Although its etiology is not known, Bell’s palsy is commonly based on trauma, infection, nervous damage due to surgery, genetic predisposition, autoimmune disease, temporal bone fracture, cerebellar arachnoid cyst and viral infection associated with vascular ischemia and inflammation. Viral infection due to herpes zoster and herpes simplex is the most common known cause of Bell’spalsy. It is seen in about 20-35 out of 100.000 people each year. Its incidence is low in children under the age of 14 and it is more frequent within the range of 15-45 years. It is also known to occur equally in men and women. In the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum in the first week, its frequency increases 3-fold. Unilateral paralysis, lagophthalmos, keratitis, droop of eyelid and edgeof mouth, mouth and eye dryness, conjunctivitis and decreasing sensation and 2/3 taste of luxury in front of lingua are its common symptoms. 3 days from the onset of palsy, patients begin to use corticosteroid and antiviral drugs. 71% of patients had improvement after recovery but 29% of patients were shown to have hemifacial weakness and residual sequela throughout life. Synkinesis is the most common sequela of Bell’s palsy. The effects of physiotherapy methods and their different combinations with other methods on prognosis were discussed in the treatment of Bell’s palsy

Can mesomorphic somatotype be a predisposing factor for rotator cuff tears?

The aim of our study was to evaluate the anthropometric features used in the determination of somatotypes of patients with rotator cuff tears (RCT) and the condition before and after physiotherapy. In our study, 84 patients (43 female, 41 male) who were admitted to Tekirdağ State Hospital in 2020-2021 and diagnosed with RCT were included. Participants were grouped and evaluated in terms of age and gender. Visual analog scale (VAS) scoring for pain, Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores for shoulder function and range of motion (ROM) values were measured. The Heath-Carter method was used for somatotype determination. Conventional physical therapy was applied to patients. 64 (76.2%) patients had endomorph-mesomorph, 14 (17%) had mesomorph-endomorph, 4 (5%) had mesomorph-endomorph, 1 (1%) had balanced mesomorph and 1 (1%) had ectomorph-endomorph somatotype. 71.4% of the participants younger than 45 years of age and 50% of those between 45 and 55 had partial tears; 80% of those between 56 and 65 and 76.5% of those older than 65 had a complete tear. Of the patients, 53.3% had cardiovascular diseases, 41.3% had problems with the digestive system, 25% had diabetes, and 24% had problems with the musculoskeletal system. The presence of RCT in the non-dominant shoulder was detected in 33.5% of the patients. There were statistically significant differences between the median values of VAS, Quick DASH, WORC, SPADI, and ROM before and after physical therapy. Regardless of gender, RCT patients had predominantly mesomorphic body types. Individuals with mesomorphic body types are more likely to have RCT. The presence of full-thickness tears was found to be closely related to advanced age. Physiotherapy has been proven to be beneficial for RCT patients in our study. [Med-Science 2023; 12(3.000): 902-9

Natural Products as Potential Leads Against Coronaviruses: Could They be Encouraging Structural Models Against SARS-CoV-2?

Abstract New coronavirus referred to SARS-CoV-2 has caused a worldwide pandemic (COVID-19) declared by WHO. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease with severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is akin to SARS-CoV, which was the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002 as well as to that of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012. SARS-CoV-2 has been revealed to belong to Coronaviridiae family as a member of β-coronaviruses. It has a positive-sense single-stranded RNA with the largest RNA genome. Since its genomic sequence has a notable similarity to that of SARS-CoV, antiviral drugs used to treat SARS and MERS are now being also applied for COVID-19 treatment. In order to combat SARS-CoV-2, many drug and vaccine development studies at experimental and clinical levels are currently conducted worldwide. In this sense, medicinal plants and the pure natural molecules isolated from plants have been reported to exhibit significant inhibitory antiviral activity against SARS-CoV and other types of coronaviruses. In the present review, plant extracts and natural molecules with the mentioned activity are discussed in order to give inspiration to researchers to take these molecules into consideration against SARS-CoV-2

EXPERIMENTAL AND ATOMIC MODELING OF THE ADSORPTION OF ACID AZO DYE 57 TO SEPIOLITE

Sepiolite is a hydrated magnesium silicate with a microporous and mesoporous structure. The fibrous morphology and the alternating blocks and tunnels along the fiber direction of sepiolite make it an ideal material to sequester a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants. The adsorption of various surfactants by organo sepiolites have been experimentally investigated. How this hydrophobic material adsorbs dye molecules at the atomic level, however, is a great mystery. For this reason, the present study focused on the adsorption of acid azo 57 dye molecules to modified sepiolite. For this purpose, the amenability of sepiolite to remove the anionic textile dye (acid azo red dye 57) was first studied in detail. Additionally, a typical cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium Br (HTAB), was used to modify sepiolite to increase the adsorption capacity. Zeta potential measurements on the sepiolite and the HTAB modified sepiolite were also carried out. Moreover, Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies were performed to understand the mechanism of the adsorption of dye molecules to natural and modified sepiolite surfaces. On the basis of the experimental studies, three general systems were theoretically examined: (i) HTAB molecules on sepiolite basal surfaces to represent four Si tetrahedra, (ii) neutral or charged acid azo red dye 57 molecules on sepiolite basal surfaces to represent four Si tetrahedra, and (iii) HTAB on the surface of neutral or charged acid azo red dye 57 molecules as a substrate. The results clearly indicated good agreement between the experimental studies and the theoretical computational DFT studies. For example, the double layer structure found in experimental studies was also demonstrated in DFT studies and confirmed increased adsorption in the presence of acid azo dye 57