bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating a complex health promotion program to reduce hepatitis C among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in New South Wales, Australia: the Deadly Liver Mob
Authors: Treloar Carla , Beadman Kim , Beadman Mitch , Smith Kerri-Anne , Christian Jade , Jackson Aunty Clair , Tyson Beverley , Anderson Clayton , Smyth Larissa , Walker Melinda , Heslop Jennifer , Gahan Gary , Tawil Victor , Sheaves Felicity , Maher Louise , Page Julie , Tilley Donna , Ryan Ann , Grant Kim , Donovan Basil , Stevens Annabelle , Slattery Trevor , Pearce Kate , John-Leader Franklin , Walden Andrew , Lenton Jo , Crowley Margaret , Cama Elena
Published: October 2023

The Deadly Liver Mob (DLM) is a peer-delivered incentivised health promotion program by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and was introduced in response to the disproportionate number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who are impacted by blood borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The goal of the program is to increase access to BBV and STI education, screening, treatment, and vaccination in recognition and response to the systemic barriers that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face in accessing health care. This commentary introduces a series of papers that report on various aspects of the evaluation of the Deadly Liver Mob (DLM) program. In this paper, we explain what DLM is and how we constructed an evaluation framework for this complex health promotion intervention.
Genetic screening for anticancer genes highlights FBLN5 as a synthetic lethal partner of MYC
Authors: Masood Motasim , Ding Qize , Cawte Adam D. , Rueda David S. , Grimm Stefan W. , Yagüe Ernesto , El-Bahrawy Mona
Published: October 2023

Background

When ectopically overexpressed, anticancer genes, such as TRAIL, PAR4 and ORCTL3, specifically destroy tumour cells without harming untransformed cells. Anticancer genes can not only serve as powerful tumour specific therapy tools but studying their mode of action can reveal mechanisms underlying the neoplastic transformation, sustenance and spread.

Methods

Anticancer gene discovery is normally accidental. Here we describe a systematic, gain of function, forward genetic screen in mammalian cells to isolate novel anticancer genes of human origin. Continuing with over 30,000 transcripts from our previous study, 377 cell death inducing genes were subjected to screening. FBLN5 was chosen, as a proof of principle, for mechanistic gene expression profiling, comparison pathways analyses and functional studies.

Results

Sixteen novel anticancer genes were isolated; these included non-coding RNAs, protein-coding genes and novel transcripts, such as ZNF436-AS1, SMLR1, TMEFF2, LINC01529, HYAL2, NEIL2, FBLN5, YPEL4 and PHKA2-processed transcript. FBLN5 selectively caused inhibition of MYC in COS-7 (transformed) cells but not in CV-1 (normal) cells. MYC was identified as synthetic lethality partner of FBLN5 where MYC transformed CV-1 cells experienced cell death upon FBLN5 transfection, whereas FBLN5 lost cell death induction in MCF-7 cells upon MYC knockdown.

Conclusions

Sixteen novel anticancer genes are present in human genome including FBLN5. MYC is a synthetic lethality partner of FBLN5.
Elesclomol, a copper-transporting therapeutic agent targeting mitochondria: from discovery to its novel applications
Authors: Tarin Mojtaba , Babaie Maryam , Eshghi Hossein , Matin Maryam M. , Saljooghi Amir Sh.
Published: October 2023

Copper (Cu) is an essential element that is involved in a variety of biochemical processes. Both deficiency and accumulation of Cu are associated with various diseases; and a high amount of accumulated Cu in cells can be fatal. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, and cuproptosis are among the proposed mechanisms of copper toxicity at high concentrations. Elesclomol (ELC) is a mitochondrion-targeting agent discovered for the treatment of solid tumors. In this review, we summarize the synthesis of this drug, its mechanisms of action, and the current status of its applications in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and other copper-associated disorders. We also provide some detailed information about future directions to improve its clinical performance.
Trade agreements and tobacco control policy: analysis of the impact of FCTC on regulatory contents of trade agreements from 2001 to 2019
Authors: Chen Tzu-Ying , Lin Ying-Jun , Chiang Tung-Liang , Tsai Feng-Jen
Published: October 2023

Background

This study aims to analyze the impact of Framework of Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) on regulatory contents of trade agreements from 2001 to 2019.

Methods

A search of trade agreements from‘WTO Regional Free Trade Agreement Database’ using keywords including “tobacco”, “cigarette”, “smoking” and “FCTC” from May to August 2020 resulted in a total sample of 268 trade agreements, from which 69 trade agreements were coded and analyzed. Provisions in trade agreements, identified via the aforementioned keywords, were categorized into 6 trade measures. The word counts of the provisions containing; FCTC; were calculated. Chi-square tests were applied to analyze the differences of regulatory patterns between different time frames. The import and export values (USD) of tobacco products under trade agreements containing the term “FCTC” were further collected from the “International Trade Statistics 2001–2020” for understanding the impact of the provision on the trade flow.

Results

Among 69 agreements, the percentage of trade agreements containing keyword as “FCTC” increased significantly from 0% to 2011 to 12% after 2011. A significant decrease of using trade measures as “the exclusion list” was found after 2011 (from 10% to 0). The word counts of provisions containing; FCTC; increased from 24 words in 2011 to 164 words in 2018, and the content of the provisions became more concrete over time. There are six trade agreements containing “FCTC”, and all these 6 agreements were ratified by European Union (EU). Despite EU ratified trade agreements with “FCTC”, the import and export values of tobacco products between EU and the other party countries increased with time. But the gap of average trade values between trade agreements with and without “FCTC” being widened with time.

Conclusions

As a first study evaluated the impact of FCTC on regulatory contents of trade agreements, our study results showed that after countries signed trade agreements containing keyword FCTC, the regulatory contents changed significantly. Further studies are recommended to understand the reason and criteria for incorporating FCTC provisions into trade agreements, especially in the EU.
Circularity of islets is a distinct marker for the pathological diagnosis of adult non-neoplastic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia using surgical specimens
Authors: Nakagawa Ryota , Minamiguchi Sachiko , Kataoka Tatsuki R. , Fujikura Junji , Masui Toshihiko , Fujimoto Masakazu , Yamada Yosuke , Takeuchi Yasuhide , Teramoto Yuki , Ito Hiroaki , Saka Manduwa , Kitamura Kyohei , Otsuki Shinya , Nishijima Ryohei , Haga Hironori
Published: October 2023

Background

Adult non-neoplastic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (ANHH), also known as adult-onset nesidioblastosis, is a rare cause of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in adults. This disease is characterized by diffuse hyperplasia of pancreatic endocrine cells and is diagnosed by a pathological examination. While diagnostic criteria for this disease have already been proposed, we established more quantitative criteria for evaluating islet morphology.

Methods

We measured the number, maximum diameter, total area, and circularity (representing how closely islets resemble perfect spheres) of islets contained in representative sections of ANHH (n = 4) and control cases (n = 5) using the NIS-Elements software program. We also measured the average cell size, percentage of cells with enlarged nuclei, and percentage of cells with recognizable nucleoli for each of three representative islets. We also assessed the interobserver diagnostic concordance of ANHH between five experienced and seven less-experienced pathologists.

Results

There was no significant difference in the number, maximum diameter, or total area of islets between the two groups, even after correcting for these parameters per unit area. However, the number of islets with low circularity (< 0.71) per total area of the pancreatic parenchyma was significantly larger in ANHH specimens than in controls. We also found that the percentage of cells with recognizable nucleoli was significantly higher in the ANHH group than in the controls. There were no significant differences in the average cell size or the number of cells with enlarged nuclei between the groups. The correct diagnosis rate with the blind test was 47.5% ± 6.12% for experienced pathologists and 50.0% ± 8.63% for less-experienced pathologists, with no significant differences noted.

Conclusions

Low circularity, which indicates an irregular islet shape, referred to as “irregular shape and occasional enlargement of islets” and “lobulated islet structure” in a previous report, is a useful marker for diagnosing ANHH. An increased percentage of recognizable nucleoli, corresponding to “macronucleoli in β-cells,“ has potential diagnostic value.
DIVE: a reference-free statistical approach to diversity-generating and mobile genetic element discovery
Authors: Abante Jordi , Wang Peter L. , Salzman Julia
Published: October 2023

Diversity-generating and mobile genetic elements are key to microbial and viral evolution and can result in evolutionary leaps. State-of-the-art algorithms to detect these elements have limitations. Here, we introduce DIVE, a new reference-free approach to overcome these limitations using information contained in sequencing reads alone. We show that DIVE has improved detection power compared to existing reference-based methods using simulations and real data. We use DIVE to rediscover and characterize the activity of known and novel elements and generate new biological hypotheses about the mobilome. Building on DIVE, we develop a reference-free framework capable of de novo discovery of mobile genetic elements.
Stepwise diagnostic algorithm for high-attenuation pulmonary abnormalities on CT
Authors: Fukuda Taiki , Egashira Ryoko , Ueno Midori , Hashisako Mikiko , Sumikawa Hiromitsu , Tominaga Junya , Yamada Daisuke , Fukuoka Junya , Misumi Shigeki , Ojiri Hiroya , Hatabu Hiroto , Johkoh Takeshi
Published: October 2023

High-attenuation pulmonary abnormalities are commonly seen on CT. These findings are increasingly encountered with the growing number of CT examinations and the wide availability of thin-slice images. The abnormalities include benign lesions, such as infectious granulomatous diseases and metabolic diseases, and malignant tumors, such as lung cancers and metastatic tumors. Due to the wide spectrum of diseases, the proper diagnosis of high-attenuation abnormalities can be challenging. The assessment of these abnormal findings requires scrutiny, and the treatment is imperative. Our proposed stepwise diagnostic algorithm consists of five steps. Step 1: Establish the presence or absence of metallic artifacts. Step 2: Identify associated nodular or mass-like soft tissue components. Step 3: Establish the presence of solitary or multiple lesions if identified in Step 2. Step 4: Ascertain the predominant distribution in the upper or lower lungs if not identified in Step 2. Step 5: Identify the morphological pattern, such as linear, consolidation, nodular, or micronodular if not identified in Step 4. These five steps to diagnosing high-attenuation abnormalities subdivide the lesions into nine categories. This stepwise radiologic diagnostic approach could help to narrow the differential diagnosis for various pulmonary high-attenuation abnormalities and to achieve a precise diagnosis.

Critical relevance statementOur proposed stepwise diagnostic algorithm for high-attenuation pulmonary abnormalities may help to recognize a variety of those high-attenuation findings, to determine whether the associated diseases require further investigation, and to guide appropriate patient management.

Key points

• To provide a stepwise diagnostic approach to high-attenuation pulmonary abnormalities.

• To familiarize radiologists with the varying cause of high-attenuation pulmonary abnormalities.

• To recognize which high-attenuation abnormalities require scrutiny and prompt treatment.

Graphical Abstract
Role of tranexamic acid-soaked gelatin sponge in minimizing rectus sheath hematoma after cesarean section in women treated with warfarin, a simple tool for high-risk cases, a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Hany Ayman , Mansour Ayman , Sediek Mona , Nabil Mohamed
Published: October 2023

Background

This study aims to illustrate the impact of applying the tranexamic acid impregnated in a gelatin sponge between the anterior rectus sheath and the Rectus Abdominis muscle during Cesarean section (CS) in minimizing rectus sheath hematoma (RHS) in women treated with Warfarin.

Methods

A clinical trial was carried out on 63 pregnant women attended for elective CS, who on antenatal warfarin anticoagulation started from 13 weeks gestation to 36 weeks then shifted to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin (UFH), and with an indication for postnatal warfarin anticoagulation. They were randomly assigned on the day of the scheduled CS into three equal groups (21 women for each). Group 1 had two pieces of gelatin sponges soaked with one ampoule of tranexamic acid. Group 2 had two pieces of gelatin sponges not soaked with tranexamic acid. Group 3 (control group) had no gelatin sponge applied. All patients underwent postoperative assessment done for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), estimated blood loss (EBL), amount and nature of discharge collected from the sub-rectus drain, complications (RHS, wound infection, thromboembolism), need for re-operation, and need for blood transfusion.

Results

Statistically significant differences were found between Group 1 and Group 2 regarding the postoperative Hb (10.66 ± 1.13 vs. 9.77 ± 0.69, P = 0.009), between Group 1 and Group 2 regarding the postoperative HCT (31.87 ± 3.59 vs. 28.54 ± 1.85, P = 0.001), between Group 1 and Group 2 regarding EBL (442.19 ± 244.46 vs. 744.38 ± 267.05, P = 0.003), between Group 1 and Group 3 regarding EBL (442.19 ± 244.46 vs. 664.29 ± 343.97, P = 0.040), and between Group 1 and Group 3 regarding the discharge amount from the sub rectus drain (190.48 ± 100.77 vs. 307.14 ± 127.76, P = 0.004).

Conclusion

Tranexamic acid-soaked gelatin sponges are safe and effective in reducing postoperative drainage and EBL.

Clinical Trial Registration: At ClinicalTrials.gov in June 2022 (NCT05439694).
Relative expression of hormone receptors by endothelial and smooth muscle cells in proliferative and non-proliferative areas of congenital arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Utami A. M. , Halfwerk J. B. G. , de Boer O. J. , Mackaaij C. , Pabittei D. R. , van der Horst C. M. A. M. , Meijer-Jorna L. B. , van der Wal A. C.
Published: October 2023

Background

Episodic growth due to microvascular proliferations (MVP) has been reported in congenital arteriovenous malformations (AVM), which are normally quiescent lesions composed of mature malformed vessels. Since AVM also may worsen under conditions of hormonal dysregulation, we hypothesized that hormonal influences may stimulate this process of vasoproliferative growth through potential interactions with hormone receptors (HR).

Methods

13 Cases of AVM tissue with histologically documented vasoproliferative growth were analyzed quantitatively for the presence and tissue localization of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PGR), growth hormone receptor (GHR) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) in relation to resident cells of interest (endothelial cells (EC), smooth muscle cells (SMC) and mast cells (MC)) by applying multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Expression patterns in lesions with MVP and mature vessels were quantified and compared. Available fresh frozen tissues of 3 AVM samples were used to confirm the presence of HR using Reverse-Transcriptase quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results

All four HR studied were expressed in all cases within EC and SMC in areas of MVP and mature vessels, but not in normal skin tissue. ER, GHR, and FSHR showed more expression in EC of MVP and in SMC of mature vessels. RT-qPCR confirmed presence of all 4 HR in both areas.

Conclusion

Expression of ER, PGR, GHR, and FSHR in vasoproliferative areas of congenital AVM could explain onset of sudden symptomatic growth, as has observed in a subpopulation of patients. These findings may have implications for eventual anti-hormonal targeted therapy in the lesions involved.
Oxidative stress induction by narasin augments doxorubicin’s efficacy in osteosarcoma
Authors: Han Zhaoming , Yang Juguang , Wang Ping , Bian Feng , Jia Jiguang
Published: October 2023

Complications and fata toxicity induced by chemotherapy are the main challenge for clinical management of osteosarcoma. The identification of agents that can augment the efficacy of chemotherapy at lower doses may represent an alternative therapeutic strategy. Narasin is a polyether antibiotic widely used in veterinary medicine. In this study, we show that narasin is active against osteosarcoma cells at the same concentrations that are less toxic to normal cells. This effect is achieved by growth inhibition and apoptosis induction, which is mediated by oxidative stress and damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) abolishes the anti-osteosarcoma activity. Importantly, narasin significantly augments doxorubicin’s efficacy in both osteosarcoma cell culturing system and subcutaneous implantation mouse model. The combination of narasin and doxorubicin at non-toxic doses completely arrests osteosarcoma growth in mice. Our results suggest that the concurrent administration of doxorubicin and narasin could present a viable alternative therapeutic approach for osteosarcoma.
A functional role of Ephrin type-B receptor 6 (EPHB6) in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Colucci Mattia , Trivieri Nadia , Mencarelli Gandino , De Santis Elisabetta , Sansico Francesca , Tamiro Francesco , Visioli Alberto , Barile Chiara , Pracella Riccardo , Rossi Giovanni , Binda Elena , Giambra Vincenzo
Published: October 2023

T-cell lymphoblastic acute leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive blood cancer, characterized by restricted cellular subsets with enriched leukemia initiating cells (LICs). Recently, Ephrin receptors (Eph) were described to be highly expressed in cancer stem cells. Here, using public RNA-Seq datasets of human T-ALL, we reported that EphB6 was the only member within the Eph family overexpressed in over 260 samples. We also found the highest level of EphB6 in a minor cell subpopulation within bulk tumors of patient-derived xenografts, obtained through the injection of primary patient biopsy material into immunocompromised NOD-Scid/IL2Rγc−/− (NSG) mice. Interestingly, this EphB6 positive (EphB6+) subset showed an enriched LIC activity after in vivo transplantation into NSG mice. Additionally, gene expression data at the single-cell level of primary patients’ leukemic cells revealed that EphB6 + cells were significantly selected in minimal residual disease up to 30 days from the standard treatments and characterized by high levels of markers related to cell proliferation and poor clinical outcome, such as CCNB1 and KIF20A. Taken together, our data suggest that EphB6 supports LICs’ maintenance and progression in T-ALL and, thus, targeting EphB6 + cells could be therapeutically relevant for the treatment of T-ALL patients.
Simulation-aided infrared thermography with decomposition-based noise reduction for detecting defects in ancient polyptychs
Authors: Jiang Guimin , Wang Xin , Hu Jue , Wang Yang , Li Xin , Yang Dazhi , Mostacci Miranda , Sfarra Stefano , Maldague Xavier , Jiang Qiang , Zhang Hai
Published: October 2023

In recent years, the conservation and protection of ancient cultural heritage have received increasing attention, and non-destructive testing (NDT), which can minimize the damage done to the test subject, plays an integral role therein. For instance, NDT through active infrared thermal imaging can be applied to ancient polyptychs, which can realize accurate detection of damage and defects existing on the surface and interior of the polyptychs. In this study, infrared thermography is used for non-invasive investigation and evaluation of two polyptych samples with different pigments and artificial defects, but both reproduced based on a painting by Pietro Lorenzetti (1280/85–1348) using the typical tempera technique of the century. It is noted that, to avoid as far as possible secondary damages done to the ancient cultural heritages, repeated damage-detection experiments are rarely carried out on the test subjects. To that end, numerical simulation is used to reveal the heat transfer properties and temperature distributions, as to perform procedural verification and reduce the number of experiments that need to be conducted on actual samples. Technique-wise, to improve the observability of the experimental results, a total variation regularized low-rank tensor decomposition algorithm is implemented to reduce the background noise and improve the contrast of the images. Furthermore, the efficacy of image processing is quantified through the structural-similarity evaluation.
Patient-reported outcome measures as determinants for the utilization of health care among outpatients with epilepsy: a prognostic cohort study
Authors: Rasmussen Stine Primdahl , Schougaard Liv Marit Valen , Hjøllund Niels Henrik , Christiansen David Høyrup
Published: October 2023

Background

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures can inform clinical decision making and planning of treatment in the health care system. The aim of this study was to examine whether patient-reported health domains influence the use of health care services in outpatients with epilepsy.

Methods

This was a prognostic cohort study of 2,426 epilepsy outpatients referred to PRO-based follow-up at the Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Patients filled out a questionnaire covering health literacy areas, self-efficacy, well-being and general health. The main outcome was a record of contact to the epilepsy outpatient clinic, inpatient ward and/or emergency room within 1 year, retrieved from health register data. Associations were analysed by multivariable binomial logistic regression.

Results

A total of 2,017 patients responded to the questionnaire and 1,961 were included in the final analyses. An outpatient contact was more likely among patients with very low health literacy (‘social support’): odds ratio (OR) 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1–2.1), very low and low self-efficacy: OR 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2–2.3) and OR 1.4 (95% CI: 1.0–1.8), low and medium well-being: OR 2.2 (95% CI: 1.6–3.0) and OR 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–1.9), and patients rating their general health as fair: OR 2.8 (95% CI: 1.7–4.6). Inpatient contact and emergency room contact were associated with the health domains of self-efficacy and general health.

Conclusions

PRO questionnaire data indicated that patients with low health literacy (“social support”), well-being, self-efficacy and self-rated general health had an increased use of health care services at 1 year.These results suggest that PRO measures may provide useful information in relation to the possibility of proactive efforts and prevention of disease-related issues and to help identify efficiency options regarding resource utilization.
A comprehensive review on textile wastewater treatment by coupling TiO2 with PVDF membrane
Authors: Zeitoun Zeyad , Selem Nora Yehia
Published: October 2023

Background

The textile industry represents a great portion of the global industry due to the increase in population and demand for sustainable products. Tons of textile wastewater contain predominantly synthetic complex organic dyes like direct dyes, processing dyes, reactive dyes, etc., making discharge of colored effluents challenging.

Main body of the abstract

Textile wastewater treatment is essential to maintain the environmental balance and reduce public health threats. Conventional wastewater treatment methods cannot overcome and decompose these toxic wastes; therefore, numerous modern approaches have been studied and implemented for pollutant degradation to be suitable for environmental disposal. Membranes and photocatalysis have proven their significant effect on the photodegradation of different dyes and the production of pure water for further use in industrial purposes.

Short conclusion

This review paper aims to represent a comprehensive review of textile dyeing wastewater treatment by integrating polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) in a hybrid system named “photocatalytic membrane reactor, PMR”.
Techniques of infrared thermography for condition monitoring of electrical power equipment
Authors: Ukiwe Ezechukwu Kalu , Adeshina Steve A. , Tsado Jacob
Published: October 2023

The application of computer vision continues to widen with advancement in technology. Imaging systems which provide necessary inputs to the computer-vision-based models can come in various ways. Such as X-ray images, Computed Tomography (CT) scan images, and Infrared (IR) images. This paper is a review of different application areas of infrared thermography (IRT) for monitoring the status of electrical power equipment. It summarizes in tabular form recent research and relevant works within the field of condition monitoring of power assets. A general review of the application of IRT in power devices was undertaken before a specific review of selected works based on IRT for important electrical power equipment with a tabular review of possible causes of hotspots using photovoltaic installation as a reference. Results of previous works were presented with highlights on performance metrics used and accuracies achieved. Emphasis where made on the future potential of IRT and some associated techniques. The work saw that heat production within systems during operation is an important characteristic that enables IRT to become applicable for monitoring diverse physical systems, most importantly power systems. The high cost of high-definition, and long-range IR cameras limits the wide adoption of the technology for its potential applications for monitoring power installations. The work recommends future research in the development of affordable IR imaging systems with advanced features for condition monitoring of physical systems such as power installations.
Spectroscopic study of drug–drug interactions: influence of two over-the-counter drugs on the albumin binding affinities of carbamazepine and its major metabolite
Authors: Thomas Olusegun Emmanuel , Akin-Taylor Akintayo , Oyetunde Yinka Sunday , Gana Daniel
Published: October 2023

Background

Multidrug regimens can increase the risk of drug–drug interactions at the level of albumin binding especially for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows such as carbamazepine (CBZ). This risk is particularly heightened for CBZ which is mainly metabolized to the active carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZE) that has been identified as contributory to both the therapeutic efficacy and severity of toxicity in CBZ-treated individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate the binding affinities of albumin with CBZ and CBZE, and to explore the influence of two competing over-the-counter medicines on the binding characteristics. CBZE was synthesized by epoxidation of CBZ and characterized using IR, NMR and mass spectrometry. The influence of paracetamol and ascorbic acid on the albumin complexes of CBZ and CBZE was investigated using absorption and IR spectrophotometry.

Results

Protein–ligand complexation produced progressive hyperchromic changes in 278 nm band of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with formation constants of 10.28–10.44 and 12.66–13.02 M−1 for CBZ and CBZE, respectively. Thermodynamic considerations confirmed both binding processes as endothermic, spontaneous and driven by hydrophobic interactions. The presence of ascorbic acid increased the binding constants of both CBZ-BSA and CBZE-BSA complexes by non-competitive interference mechanism. Similarly, paracetamol increased the affinity of CBZ for albumin but then competitively interfered with the CBZE-BSA complex. The ratio of albumin binding affinities of CBZ–CBZE varied from 0.81 in the absence of competing drug to 1.29 and 1.0 with paracetamol and ascorbic acid, respectively. IR study confirmed that both CBZ and CBZE induced a reduction from the 67.34% α-helical content of free BSA to 42.56 and 56.43%, respectively. Competitive binding in the presence of either paracetamol or ascorbic acid induced further reduction in the α-helical content of BSA in the complexes. The most extensive perturbation in the secondary structure of BSA (22.78% α-helical content) which was observed with CBZE-BSA complex in the presence of paracetamol is probably due to the increased interaction of the protein for the analgesic.

Conclusion

The study has revealed potential interference of paracetamol or ascorbic acid with the albumin binding of carbamazepine and its major metabolite.
Allelic functional variation of FimH among Salmonella enterica subspecies
Authors: Kang Xiamei , Chen Jiaqi , Zhou Xiao , Ed-Dra Abdelaziz , Yue Min
Published: October 2023

Salmonella enterica has a wide diversity, with numerous serovars belonging to six different subspecies with dynamic animal-host tropism. The FimH protein is the adhesin mediating binding to various cells, and slight amino acid discrepancy significantly affects the adherence capacities. To date, the general function of FimH variability across different subspecies of Salmonella enterica has not been addressed. To investigate the biological functions of FimH among the six Salmonella enterica subspecies, the present study performed several assays to determine biofilm formation, Caenorhabditis elegans killing, and intestinal porcine enterocyte cell IPEC-J2 adhesion by using various FimH allele mutants. In general, allelic mutations in both the lectin and pilin domains of FimH could cause changes in binding affinity, such as the N79S mutation. We also observed that the N79S variation in Salmonella Dublin increased the adhesive ability of IPEC-J2 cells. Moreover, a new amino acid substitution, T260M, within the pilin domain in one subspecies IIIb strain beneficial to binding to cells was highlighted in this study, even though the biofilm-forming and Caenorhabditis elegans-killing abilities exhibited no significant differences in variants. Combined with point mutations being a natural tendency due to positive selection in harsh environments, we speculate that allelic variation T260M probably contributes to pathoadaptive evolution in Salmonella enterica subspecies IIIb.
Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Digital Therapeutic on Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zion Sean R. , Taub Chloe J. , Heathcote Lauren C. , Ramiller Allison , Tinianov Stacey , McKinley Michael , Eich Geoff , Penedo Frank J. , Ganz Patricia A. , Antoni Michael , Shumay Dianne M.
Published: October 2023

Results from a clinical trial of a new cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) app show a significant benefit for patients with cancer with symptoms of anxiety and depression. The double-blind, randomized controlled trial compared the cancer-specific app with a health education sham app in 449 patients diagnosed with nonmetastatic cancers. Patients who received the cancer-specific app showed significantly greater reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression over 12 weeks and were significantly more likely to report their symptoms as much or very much improved at the end of the study. Self-reported adverse events were also collected to inform benefit-risk.
Effects of wave propagation in canonical Poisson gauge theory under an external magnetic field
Authors: Abla O. , Neves M. J.
Published: October 2023

The non-commutative electrodynamics based on the canonical Poisson gauge theory is studied in this paper. For a pure spatial non-commutativity, we investigate the plane wave solutions in the presence of a constant and uniform magnetic background field for the classical electrodynamics in canonical Poisson gauge theory. We obtain the properties of the medium ruled by the permittivity and the permeability tensors in terms of the non-commutative parameter, with the electrodynamics equations in the momentum space. Using the plane wave solutions mentioned, the dispersion relations are modified by the magnetic background, and the correspondent group velocity is affected by the spatial non-commutative parameter. We construct the energy-momentum tensor and discuss the conserved components of this tensor in the spatial non-commutative case. The birefringence phenomenon is showed through the modified dispersion relations, that depends directly on the non-commutative corrections and also on the magnetic background field. Using the bound of the polarized vacuum with laser (PVLAS) experiment for the vacuum magnetic birefringence, we estimate a theoretical value for the spatial non-commutative parameter.
Increased Prevalence of Accidents and Injuries in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: A Population-based Cohort Study
Authors: Falhammar Henrik , Hirschberg Angelica Lindén , Nordenskjöld Agneta , Larsson Henrik , Nordenström Anna
Published: October 2023

Context

It has been suggested that injuries and accidents are increased in females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), but the prevalence is unclear.

Objective

To study the prevalence of injuries and accidents in females and males with CAH.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Patients with CAH (n = 714, all 21-hydroxylase deficiency) were compared with matched controls (n = 71 400). Data were derived by linking National Population-Based Registers.

Main Outcome Measures

Prevalence of injuries and accidents.

Results

Mean age was 29.8 ± 18.4 years. Injuries were more prevalent in patients with CAH than in controls (relative risk, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.24-1.44), and this was found in both sexes (females: 1.43; 1.29-1.58; males: 1.25; 1.12-1.38). In the classical phenotype, the prevalence of injuries was higher, especially in females but not in the nonclassic phenotype. In the genotype groups, injuries were mainly increased in females. Head injuries were increased in all patients with CAH and in the different phenotypes and were mainly driven by females. More patients with CAH born before the introduction of neonatal screening had had an injury compared with controls (1.48; 1.35-1.62); this was seen in both sexes. In patients with CAH born after the introduction of screening, the prevalence of injuries was overall increased (1.20; 1.07-1.35), and in females with CAH but not in males. Accidents showed a similar pattern to injuries in all comparisons.

Conclusion

Patients with CAH had an increased prevalence of both injuries and accidents, especially in females and in those born before the neonatal screening program. Patients with nonclassic phenotype were hardly affected.
The Capnography Project
Authors: Evans Faye M. , Turc Rémy , Echeto-Cerrato Maria A. , Gathuya Zipporah N. , Enright Angela
Published: October 2023

Capnography is an essential tool used in the monitoring of patients during anesthesia and in critical care which, while required in most high-income countries, is unavailable in many low- and middle-income countries. Launched in 2020, the Smile Train-Lifebox Capnography Project aimed to find a “capnography solution” for resource-poor settings. The project was specifically interested in a capnography device that would meet the needs of the Smile Train partner hospitals to help monitor children requiring airway or cleft surgery. Project advisory and technical groups were formed and included representation from anesthesia practitioners from a balanced representation from all level of income countries, technical experts in capnography, and representatives from the Global Capnography Project (GCAP), the University of California at San Francisco Center for Health Equity in Surgery & Anesthesia (CHESA), and the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA). Built upon the WFSA minimum capnometer specifications, a human centered design approach was used to develop a Target Product Profile. Seven manufacturers submitted 13 devices for consideration and 3 devices were selected for the testing phase. Each of these devices was evaluated for build quality, and clinical and usability performance. Based on the findings from the overall testing process, a combined capnography and pulse oximetry device by Zug Medical Systems was chosen. To accompany the new Smile Train-Lifebox capnograph, an international team of experienced anesthesiologists and educators came together to develop the necessary education materials. These materials were piloted in Ethiopia, subsequently modified, and endorsed by the education team. The device is now ready for distribution, with the accompanying education package, to the Smile Train network and beyond. In addition, a study is being planned to measure the impact of capnography introduction into operating rooms in resource-constrained settings.
The Coming of Age of Resistance Exercise as a Primary Form of Exercise for Health
Authors: Phillips Stuart M. , Ma Jasmin K. , Rawson Eric S.
Published: October 2023

Apply it!

By reading this article, the health and fitness professional will learn:

• Physical activity guidelines emphasize the performance of aerobic exercise for health and often indicate that resistance exercise can be beneficial; however, emerging evidence shows that resistance exercise is often as effective as aerobic for many aspects of health.

• Resistance exercise participation can benefit several health aspects: cardiorespiratory health, vascular health, muscle oxidative capacity, mental health, muscle hypertrophy, strength, and power.

• To support clients in sticking to their program, use strategies like monitoring (you and your client keeping track of how much resistance exercise they are doing), action planning (scheduling when, where, and how they will do their resistance exercise), and highlighting the health and emotional benefits of resistance exercise that are relevant to your client.
Accident severity prediction modeling for road safety using random forest algorithm: an analysis of Indian highways
Authors: Khanum Humera , Garg Anshul , Faheem Mir Iqbal
Published: October 2023

Background: Road accidents claim around 1.35 million lives annually, with countries like India facing a significant impact. In 2019, India reported 449,002 road accidents, causing 151,113 deaths and 451,361 injuries. Accident severity modeling helps understand contributing factors and develop preventive strategies. AI models, such as random forest, offer adaptability and higher predictive accuracy compared to traditional statistical models. This study aims to develop a predictive model for traffic accident severity on Indian highways using the random forest algorithm. Methods: A multi-step methodology was employed, involving data collection and preparation, feature selection, training a random forest model, tuning parameters, and evaluating the model using accuracy and F1 score. Data sources included MoRTH and NHAI. Results: The classification model had hyperparameters ‘max depth’:  10, ‘max features’: ‘sqrt’, and ‘n estimators’: 100. The model achieved an overall accuracy of 67% and a weighted average F1-score of 0.64 on the training set, with a macro average F1-score of 0.53. Using grid search, a random forest Classifier was fitted with optimal parameters, resulting in 41.47% accuracy on test data. Conclusions: The random forest classifier model predicted traffic accident severity with 67% accuracy on the training set and 41.47% on the test set, suggesting possible bias or imbalance in the dataset. No clear patterns were found between the day of the week and accident occurrence or severity. Performance can be improved by addressing dataset imbalance and refining model hyperparameters. The model often underestimated accident severity, highlighting the influence of external factors. Adopting a sophisticated data recording system in line with MoRTH and IRC guidelines and integrating machine learning techniques can enhance road safety modeling, decision-making, and accident prevention efforts.
Case Report: Iatrogenic trauma of the bladder due to long-term unidentified intrauterine device malposition inside the bladder with rectovesical fistula
Authors: Agil Ahmad , Tjahjodjati Tjahjodjati , Atik Nur , Rachmadi Dedi , Zahrina Tengku Tania
Published: October 2023

According to reports, there are 1.9–3.6 incidences of IUD migration and uterine perforation for every 1000 IUD insertions. It is important to note that bladder perforation caused by a misplaced IUD is uncommon and is thought to happen most frequently during insertion. Here, we describe a patient who presented with symptoms related to the migration of IUD to the bladder. It is feasible to draw the conclusion that the cystoscopy technique should be taken into consideration as a suitable therapy option for such injuries in this organ. When a problem cannot be effectively treated by cystoscopy alone, laparotomy should be considered.
Unraveling the secrets of plant roots: Simplified method for large scale root exudate sampling and analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Subrahmaniam Harihar Jaishree , Lind Salomonsen Camilla , Radutoiu Simona , Ehlers Bodil K. , Glasius Marianne
Published: October 2023

Background Plants exude a plethora of compounds to communicate with their environment. Although much is known about above-ground plant communication, we are only beginning to fathom the complexities of below-ground chemical communication channels. Studying root-exuded compounds and their role in plant communication has been difficult due to the lack of standardized methodologies. Here, we develop an interdisciplinary workflow to explore the natural variation in root exudate chemical composition of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We highlight key challenges associated with sampling strategies and develop a framework for analyzing both narrow- and broad-scale patterns of root exudate composition in a large set of natural A. thaliana accessions. Methods Our method involves cultivating individual seedlings in vitro inside a plastic mesh, followed by a short hydroponic sampling period in small quantities of ultrapure water. The mesh makes it easy to handle plants of different sizes and allows for large-scale characterization of individual plant root exudates under axenic conditions. This setup can also be easily extended for prolonged temporal exudate collection experiments. Furthermore, the short sampling time minimizes the duration of the experiment while still providing sufficient signal even with small volume of the sampling solution. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) for untargeted metabolic profiling, followed by tentative compound identification using MZmine3 and SIRIUS 5 software, to capture a broad overview of root exudate composition in A. thaliana accessions. Results Based on 28 replicates of the Columbia genotype (Col-0) compared with 10 random controls, MZmine3 annotated 354 metabolites to be present only in Col-0 by negative ionization. Of these, 254 compounds could be annotated by SIRIUS 5 software. Conclusions The methodology developed in this study can be used to broadly investigate the role of root exudates as chemical signals in plant belowground interactions.
State versus tribal borders: Problems of irredentism in modern Libyan state-building process
Authors: Ben Khayal Rawia
Published: October 2023

This article sets out to examine the tensions that exist in post-Gaddafi Libya with respect to the establishment of central government and one of the sub-state actors, namely tribes. The study finds that, as a result of its colonial past, Libya as a state was created by negotiations between British, French and Italian colonial powers without regard to the indigenous populations such as the North African tribes with their natural tribal heartlands. This has led to an incoherence between identity and territory and in turn has created problems of irredentism and national security issues. After a detailed examination of Libya’s extensive East, West and Southern borders, the article finds that as a state, Libya is unable to control its borders and so cannot qualify as a fully functioning nation-state according to Western definitions of the phenomenon. The article then discusses the complex issue of the differences between state-building and nationhood and finds that according to the definitions of the 14th century Maghreb sociologist Ibn Khaldun, while the state and the nation are two different concepts, one cannot exist without the other. This stands in contrast to the modern, global emphasis on linear as opposed to cyclical development and reflects the values of donor states and not the complex needs of emerging and fragile democratic states. The article therefore recommends the need for understanding, trust and compromise from all parties involved. For example, while tribes contribute the much-needed values of nationhood, they must in turn respect the values of democracy such as the rule of law. Conversely, external players should respect the concept of national identity with its emphasis on the value of social cohesion.
The genome sequence of the Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria (Fabricius, 1775)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Phillips Dominic ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: October 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Selenia dentaria (the Early Thorn; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Geometridae). The genome sequence is 1,030.8 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.41 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 21,390 protein coding genes.
The genome sequence of the Buff Arches, Habrosyne pyritoides (Hufnagel, 1766)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Boyes Clare ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: October 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Habrosyne pyritoides (the Buff Arches; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Drepanidae). The genome sequence is 400.6 megabases in span. The whole assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.59 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 17,018 protein coding genes.