bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental experiences of caring for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, Limpopo Province: a descriptive qualitative study exploring the cultural determinants
Authors: Nyaloko Madimetja J. , Lubbe Welma , Moloko-Phiri Salaminah S. , Shopo Khumoetsile D.
Published: May 2024

Background

Parent-infant interaction is highly recommended during the preterm infant hospitalisation period in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Integrating culturally sensitive healthcare during hospitalisation of preterm infants is critical for positive health outcomes. However, there is still a paucity of evidence on parental experience regarding cultural practices that can be integrated into preterm infant care in the NICU. The study explored and described the cultural determinants of parents that can be integrated into the care of preterm infants in the NICU.

Methods

A descriptive qualitative research design was followed where twenty (n=20) parents of preterm infants were purposively selected. The study was conducted in the NICU in Limpopo using in-depth individual interviews. Taguette software and a thematic analysis framework were used to analyse the data. The COREQ guidelines and checklist were employed to ensure reporting standardisation.

Results

Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 1) Lived experienced by parents of preterm infants, 2) Interactions with healthcare professionals, 3) Cultural practices concerning preterm infant care, and 4) Indigenous healthcare practices for preterm infants.

Conclusions

The study emphasised a need for healthcare professionals to understand the challenges parents of preterm infants face in NICU care. Furthermore, healthcare professionals should know indigenous healthcare practices to ensure relevant, culturally sensitive care.
Specification curve analysis to identify heterogeneity in risk factors for dementia: findings from the UK Biobank
Authors: Luo Renhao , Zeraatkar Dena , Glymour Maria , Ellis Randall J. , Estiri Hossein , Patel Chirag J.
Published: May 2024

Background

In 2020, the Lancet Commission identified 12 risk factors as priorities for prevention of dementia, and other studies identified APOE e4/e4 genotype and family history of Alzheimer’s disease strongly associated with dementia outcomes; however, it is unclear how robust these relationships are across dementia subtypes and analytic scenarios. Specification curve analysis (SCA) is a new tool to probe how plausible analytical scenarios influence outcomes.

Methods

We evaluated the heterogeneity of odds ratios for 12 risk factors reported from the Lancet 2020 report and two additional strong associated non-modifiable factors (APOE e4/e4 genotype and family history of Alzheimer’s disease) with dementia outcomes across 450,707 UK Biobank participants using SCA with 5357 specifications across dementia subtypes (outcomes) and analytic models (e.g., standard demographic covariates such as age or sex and/or 14 correlated risk factors).

Results

SCA revealed variable dementia risks by subtype and age, with associations for TBI and APOE e4/e4 robust to model specification; in contrast, diabetes showed fluctuating links with dementia subtypes. We found that unattributed dementia participants had similar risk factor profiles to participants with defined subtypes.

Conclusions

We observed heterogeneity in the risk of dementia, and estimates of risk were influenced by the inclusion of a combination of other modifiable risk factors; non-modifiable demographic factors had a minimal role in analytic heterogeneity. Future studies should report multiple plausible analytic scenarios to test the robustness of their association. Considering these combinations of risk factors could be advantageous for the clinical development and evaluation of novel screening models for different types of dementia.
Tumorigenic role of Pak4 in ovarian cancer and its correlation with immune infiltration
Authors: Tang Lan , Ye Hong , Chen Li , Dong Weiwei , Hu Xingyan , Yu Lan
Published: May 2024

Background

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of gynecological cancer death. Pak4 has been proved to be tumorigenic in many types of cancers, but its role in ovarian cancer is still not clarified.

Methods

In this study, we used immunohistochemistry to investigate into Pak4 expression in different histological types of ovarian cancer. TIMER, TISCH2, GEPIA, ualcan, KM plotter, GSCA and GeneMANIA were used to identify the prognostic roles and gene regulation networks of Pak4 in ovarian cancer. Immune infiltration levels were investigated using TIMER database.

Results

Pak4 was highly expressed in ovarian cancers, regardless of different FIGO stages and histological grades. Single cell sequencing database proved that Pak4 was highly expressed in malignant ovarian cancer cells. Pak4 level was significantly correlated with different histological types of ovarian cancer. Pak4 expression was negatively connected with OS and PFS of ovarian cancer patients. Functions of Pak4 and its interacted genes were mainly involved in protein serine/threonine kinase activity, regulation of actin filament-based process and regulation of cytoskeleton organization. Pak4 level was negatively correlated with immune biomarkers of B cell infiltration (p = 2.39e-05), CD8 + T cell infiltration (p = 1.51e-04), neutrophil (p = 1.74e-06) and dendritic cell (p = 4.41e-08). Close correlation was found between Pak4 expression and T cell exhaustion (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated the expression level, gene interaction networks and immune infiltration levels of Pak4 in ovarian cancer. And the results revealed role of Pak4 in tumorigenesis and the possibility to be a potential immunotherapeutic target.
Unveiling the metabolic landscape of pulmonary hypertension: insights from metabolomics
Authors: Ba Huixue , Guo Yingfan , Jiang Yujie , Li Ying , Dai Xuejing , Liu Yuan , Li Xiaohui
Published: May 2024

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is regarded as cardiovascular disease with an extremely poor prognosis, primarily due to irreversible vascular remodeling. Despite decades of research progress, the absence of definitive curative therapies remains a critical challenge, leading to high mortality rates. Recent studies have shown that serious metabolic disorders generally exist in PH animal models and patients of PH, which may be the cause or results of the disease. It is imperative for future research to identify critical biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction in PH pathophysiology and to uncover metabolic targets that could enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Metabolomics offers a powerful tool for the comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of metabolites within specific organisms or cells. On the basis of the findings of the metabolomics research on PH, this review summarizes the latest research progress on metabolic pathways involved in processes such as amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism in the context of PH.
Efficient signal sequence of mRNA vaccines enhances the antigen expression to expand the immune protection against viral infection
Authors: Zhang Yupei , Zhai Songhui , Huang Hai , Qin Shugang , Sun Min , Chen Yuting , Lan Xing , Li Guohong , Huang Zhiying , Wang Denggang , Luo Yaoyao , Xiao Wen , Li Hao , He Xi , Chen Meiwan , Peng Xingchen , Song Xiangrong
Published: May 2024

The signal sequence played a crucial role in the efficacy of mRNA vaccines against virus pandemic by influencing antigen translation. However, limited research had been conducted to compare and analyze the specific mechanisms involved. In this study, a novel approach was introduced by substituting the signal sequence of the mRNA antigen to enhance its immune response. Computational simulations demonstrated that various signal peptides differed in their binding capacities with the signal recognition particle (SRP) 54 M subunit, which positively correlated with antigen translation efficiency. Our data revealed that the signal sequences of tPA and IL-6-modified receptor binding domain (RBD) mRNA vaccines sequentially led to higher antigen expression and elicited more robust humoral and cellular immune protection against the SARS-CoV-2 compared to the original signal sequence. By highlighting the importance of the signal sequence, this research provided a foundational and safe approach for ongoing modifications in signal sequence-antigen design, aiming to optimize the efficacy of mRNA vaccines.
Association of deletion polymorphism rs10573247 in the HMGA2 gene with the risk of breast cancer: bioinformatic and experimental analyses
Authors: Najibi Kolsoom , Moghanibashi Mehdi , Naeimi Sirous
Published: May 2024

Background

The high mobility group A2 (HMGA2) gene is expressed extensively during early embryonic development but is inactivated in adulthood, and it is also reactivated in various benign and malignant tumors, including breast cancer. We first assessed the potential functional significance of the unstudied deletion polymorphism rs10573247 at the 3′UTR of HMGA2 on miRNA binding using bioinformatic tools, and subsequently, the association between this polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility was investigated.

Materials and methods

We applied the RNAhybrid tool to predict the functional effects of polymorphism rs10573247 located within the 3’ UTR of the HMGA2 gene on miRNA binding. Then, following DNA extraction, 141 breast cancer patients and 123 healthy controls were genotyped for polymorphism rs10573247 using RFLP-PCR with the restriction enzyme Eam1104I.

Results

Our bioinformatic data have shown that polymorphism rs10573247 is located in the region that serves as a potential target site for eight miRNAs binding. Among them, miR-3125 exhibited decreased binding affinity for the allele delTT (MFE = -21.8) when compared to the allele TT (MFE = -23.9), but miR-4476 increased binding affinity for the allele delTT (MFE = -22.4) compared to the allele TT (MFE = -22.2). In addition, our results showed that the genotype TT/delTT (p = 0.005) and the genotype delTT/delTT (p = 0.029) were significantly associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to the genotype TT/TT using RFLP-PCR.

Discussion and Conclusion

Our findings suggest that polymorphism rs10573247 may contribute to the risk of breast cancer through the functional effect of this polymorphism on miRNA binding.
What inhibits “speaking up” for patient safety among healthcare workers? A cross-sectional study in Malaysia
Authors: Kim Alex Ren Jye , Nishino Kimihiro , Bujang Mohamad Adam , Zulkifli Zubalqiah , Inthaphatha Souphalak , Yamamoto Eiko
Published: May 2024

Background

In healthcare, “speaking up” refers to when healthcare workers raise concerns regarding patient safety through questions, sharing information, or expressing their opinion to prevent harmful incidents and ensure patient safety. Conversely, withholding voice is an act of not raising concerns, which could be beneficial in certain situations. Factors associated with speaking up and withholding voices are not fully understood, especially in strong authoritarian societies, such as Malaysia. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with speaking up and withholding the voices of healthcare workers in Malaysia, thus providing suggestions that can be used in other countries facing similar patient safety challenges.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Sarawak State, Malaysia. Data were collected from 474 healthcare workers from 43 departments using a self-administered questionnaire for speaking up and withholding voices measures in 4 weeks prior to data analysis as well as socio-demographic factors of healthcare workers (sex, age group, profession, department, weekly work hours for patient care, years of employment in the hospital, and the hierarchical level) and speaking up related climate of the working environment were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Logistic regression was performed to find out (adjusted) odds ratio of frequent speaking up and withholding voices.

Results

Nurse compared to doctors and healthcare workers with short weekly working hours were more likely to speak up. Healthcare workers in emergency and intensive care department, those with short years of employment, and those who worked at low hierarchical levels were less likely to speak up. Healthcare workers in discouraging environment towards speaking up were more likely to withhold their voices.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the characteristics of healthcare workers who speak up and those who withhold their voices in Malaysia. To ensure patient safety and prevent harm, it is essential to establish an encouraging environment that promotes speaking up and prevents withholding voices among healthcare worker, especially in circumstances where multiple types of healthcare workers with different socio-demographic backgrounds work together.
Medical insurance, livelihood capital and public health in China
Authors: Sheng Wang , Fuchong Liao
Published: May 2024

Background

Medical insurance stands as a pivotal component within the overarching framework of public service systems. The intricate interplay between the extent of healthcare coverage and the overall well-being of the populace remains a pivotal research question within the academic sphere.

Methods

Drawing from the comprehensive dataset of the Chinese Household Livelihood Survey, this article employs a rigorous data model to delve into the profound implications of medical coverage on population health.

Results

The descriptive analysis revealed that areas with broader medical coverage tend to exhibit higher levels of overall population health. This initial observation provided a foundation for further quantitative exploration using multiple regression analysis. The regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship between medical coverage and population health. This finding is particularly noteworthy as it suggests that expanding access to healthcare services has tangible benefits for improving the overall health of a population.

Conclusion

From the lens of familial sustenance, this article delves into the intricate health implications of medical coverage, thereby introducing a novel theoretical lens to the evolving discourse surrounding medical insurance healthcare systems and their impact on public health. This approach aims to enrich the current understanding of this complex relationship and contribute to the scholarly dialogue.
Barriers and facilitators to medical care retention for pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus in South Africa: a qualitative study
Authors: Ikram Naira , Lewandowski Laura B. , Watt Melissa H. , Scott Christiaan
Published: May 2024

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a life-threatening, chronic, autoimmune disease requiring long term subspecialty care due to its complex and chronic nature. Childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) is more severe than adult-onset, and the cSLE population in South Africa has been reported to have an even higher risk than patients elsewhere. Therefore, it is critical to promptly diagnose, treat, and manage cSLE. In this paper, we aim to describe and evaluate barriers and enablers of appropriate long-term care of cSLE South Africa from the perspective of caregivers (parents or family members).

Methods

Caregivers (n = 22) were recruited through pediatric and adult rheumatology clinics. Individuals were eligible if they cared for youth (≤ 19 years) who were diagnosed with cSLE and satisfied at least four of the eleven ACR SLE classification criteria. Individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted between January 2014 and December 2014, and explored barriers to and facilitators of ongoing chronic care for cSLE. Data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis.

Results

Four barriers to chronic care engagement and retention were identified: knowledge gap, financial burdens, social stigma of SLE, and complexity of the South African medical system. Additionally, we found three facilitators: patient and caregiver education, robust support system for the caregiver, and financial support for the caregiver and patient.

Conclusion

These findings highlight multiple, intersecting barriers to routine longitudinal care for cSLE in South Africa and suggest there might be a group of diagnosed children who don’t receive follow-up care and are subject to loss to follow-up. cSLE requires ongoing treatment and care; thus, the different barriers may interact and compound over time with each follow-up visit. South African cSLE patients are at high risk for poor outcomes. South African care teams should work to overcome these barriers and place attention on the facilitators to improve care retention for these patients and create a model for other less resourced settings.
Assistance force-line of exosuit affects ankle multidimensional motion: a theoretical and experimental study
Authors: Zhang Xinyue , Li Ying , Sun Ronglei
Published: May 2024

Background

The talocrural joint and the subtalar joint are the two major joints of the ankle-joint complex. The position and direction of the exosuit force line relative to these two joint axes can influence ankle motion. We aimed to understand the effects of different force-lines on ankle multidimensional motion.

Methods

In this article, three assistance force line schemes for ankle exosuits were proposed: perpendicular to the talocrural joint axis (PT), intersecting with the subtalar joint axis (IS), and parallel to the triceps surae (PTS). A theoretical model was proposed to calculate the exosuit’s assistance moment. Seven participants completed four experimental tests of ankle plantarflexion, including three passive motions assisted by the PT, PTS and IS schemes, and one active motion without exosuit assistance (Active).

Results

The simulation results demonstrated that all three exosuits were able to produce significant moments of ankle plantarflexion. Among these, the PT scheme exhibited the highest moments in all dimensions, followed by the PTS and IS schemes. The experimental findings confirmed the effectiveness of all three exosuit schemes in assisting ankle plantarflexion. Additionally, as the assistive force lines approached the subtalar joint, there was a decrease in ankle motion assisted by the exosuits in non-plantarflexion directions, along with a reduction in the average distance of ankle angle curves relative to active ankle motion. Furthermore, the linear correlation coefficients between inversion and plantarflexion, adduction and plantarflexion, and adduction and inversion gradually converged toward active ankle plantarflexion motion.

Conclusions

Our research indicates that the position of the exosuit force line to the subtalar joint has a significant impact on ankle inversion and adduction. Among all three schemes, the IS, which has the closest distance to the subtalar joint axes, has the greatest kinematic similarity to active ankle plantarflexion and might be a better choice for ankle assistance and rehabilitation.
Comparative analysis of arthroscopic technique for anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligament reconstruction versus open modified brostrom-gould procedure in chronic lateral ankle instability management
Authors: Hong Gang , Kong XiaoChuan , Zhang Le , Zheng YinFeng , Fan Ning , Zang Lei
Published: May 2024

Background

Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability (CLAI) is a common condition treated using either Anterior Talofibular and Calcaneofibular Ligament (ATFL and CFL) reconstruction or Modified Brostrom Procedure (MBP). However, the comparative efficacy of these approaches is not well-studied.

Methods

In this study, clinical data were retrospectively collected from 101 patients diagnosed with CLAI who underwent either ATFL and CFL reconstruction (n = 51) or the MBP (n = 50). Patients were comparable in terms of age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), post-injury duration, preoperative American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Karlsson score, Visual Analog Score (VAS), Anterior Talar Translation, and Talar Tilt Angle.

Results

The post-operative measures showed no significant differences in AOFAS Score, Karlsson Score, and VAS between both treatment groups. However, patients who underwent ATFL and CFL reconstruction showed significantly lower follow-up Anterior Talar Translation (mean = 4.1667 ± 1.3991 mm) and Talar Tilt Angle (mean = 5.0549 ± 1.6173°) compared to those who underwent MBP. Further, patients treated with ATFL and CFL reconstruction experienced a significantly longer postoperative recovery time (median = 6 weeks) compared to MBP (median = 3 weeks).

Conclusions

Although both therapeutic techniques were generally effective in treating CLAI, the ATFL and CFL reconstruction approach delivered superior control of Anterior Talar Translation and Talar Tilt Angle. However, its longer recovery time merits further study to optimize the balance between therapeutic efficacy and recovery speed.
Five recommendations to advance implementation science for humanitarian settings: the next frontier of humanitarian research
Authors: Falb Kathryn , Kullenberg Sheree , T Yuan Christina , Blackwell Alexandra
Published: May 2024

Challenges in delivering evidence-based programming in humanitarian crises require new strategies to enhance implementation science for better decision-making. A recent scoping review highlights the scarcity of peer-reviewed studies on implementation in conflict zones. In this commentary, we build on this scoping review and make five recommendations for advancing implementation science for humanitarian settings. These include (1) expanding existing frameworks and tailoring them to humanitarian dynamics, (2) utilizing hybrid study designs for effectiveness-implementation studies, (3) testing implementation strategies, (4) leveraging recent methodological advancements in social and data science, and (5) enhancing training and community engagement. These approaches aim to address gaps in understanding intervention effectiveness, scale, sustainability, and equity in humanitarian settings. Integrating implementation science into humanitarian research is essential for informed decision-making and improving outcomes for affected populations.
Nonthermal biocompatible plasma in stimulating osteogenic differentiation by targeting p38/ FOXO1 and PI3K/AKT pathways in hBMSCs
Authors: Akter Khadija , Kim Youngsun , Choi Eun Ha , Han Ihn
Published: May 2024

Osteoporosis is manifested by decreased bone density and deterioration of bone architecture, increasing the risk of bone fractures Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs)-based tissue engineering serves as a crucial technique for regenerating lost bone and preventing osteoporosis. Non-thermal biocompatible plasma (NBP) is a potential new therapeutic approach employed in several biomedical applications, including regenerative medicine. NBP affects bone remodeling; however, its role in the regulation of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to explore the efficiency of NBP in promoting osteogenic differentiation, and the molecular pathways through which these responses occurred in hBMSCs. We found that NBP facilitated osteogenic differentiation through the upregulation of the bone morphogenic protein signal (BMPs) cascade, which in turn induced the expression of p38 and inhibited the forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1). To further gain insight into the mechanism through which NBP extensively triggers the initiation of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs, PI3K/AKT pathway was also analyzed. Overall, these results highlight that NBP enhances osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs by the stimulation of the p38/FOXO1 through PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Therefore, the application of NBP in hBMSCs may offer tremendous therapeutic prospects in the treatment of bone regeneration and osteoporosis prevention.
Reproductive isolation arises during laboratory adaptation to a novel hot environment
Authors: Hsu Sheng-Kai , Lai Wei-Yun , Novak Johannes , Lehner Felix , Jakšić Ana Marija , Versace Elisabetta , Schlötterer Christian
Published: May 2024

Background

Reproductive isolation can result from adaptive processes (e.g., ecological speciation and mutation-order speciation) or stochastic processes such as “system drift” model. Ecological speciation predicts barriers to gene flow between populations from different environments, but not among replicate populations from the same environment. In contrast, reproductive isolation among populations independently adapted to the same/similar environment can arise from both mutation-order speciation or system drift.

Results

In experimentally evolved populations adapting to a hot environment for over 100 generations, we find evidence for pre- and postmating reproductive isolation. On one hand, an altered lipid metabolism and cuticular hydrocarbon composition pointed to possible premating barriers between the ancestral and replicate evolved populations. On the other hand, the pronounced gene expression differences in male reproductive genes may underlie the postmating isolation among replicate evolved populations adapting to the same environment with the same standing genetic variation.

Conclusion

Our study confirms that replicated evolution experiments provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The rapid emergence of the premating reproductive isolation during temperature adaptation showcases incipient ecological speciation. The potential evidence of postmating reproductive isolation among replicates gave rise to two hypotheses: (1) mutation-order speciation through a common selection on early fecundity leading to an inherent inter-locus sexual conflict; (2) system drift with genetic drift along the neutral ridges.
Educational telerehabilitation program for women with pelvic floor dysfunctions after gynecological pelvic cancer treatment: protocol study for a randomized and controlled clinical trial
Authors: Bem Fretta Tatiana de , Dacanal Gabriela Dassie , de Souza Mendes Pauliana Carolina , Dias Mirella , Jorge Cristine Homsi
Published: May 2024

Background

Educational and self-care measures are important for women after gynecological pelvic cancer treatment. Pelvic floor muscle training exercises (PFMT) are a conservative treatment for pelvic floor (PF) dysfunction. The purpose is to evaluate the impact of a telerehabilitation and self-care program on PF dysfunctions, reports of urinary incontinence (UI), and physical–emotional factors of participants post-treatment for gynecological pelvic cancer.

Methods

Two-arm randomized clinical trial: an intervention group (IG) will evaluate the effect of a telerehabilitation program on women undergoing clinical practice of radiotherapy for the treatment of gynecological pelvic cancer and a control group (CG) will maintain the routine. Primary outcome is the prevalence of reports of UI, which will be assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Short Form (ICIQ-SF). The secondary outcomes will be the severity and impact of UI on quality of life, location and perception of pain intensity, presence and intensity of dyspareunia, vaginal stenosis, fecal incontinence (FI), and levels of physical activity. Statistical analysis will be performed by intention-to-treat, and multivariate mixed effects analysis will be used to compare results.

Discussion

Activities in the context of telerehabilitation using PFMT and self-care can represent a viable and effective solution to minimize the side effects of gynecological cancer treatment and improve women’s quality of life.
Various techniques for resolving overlapping ultraviolet spectra of combination pharmaceutical dosage forms containing hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol
Authors: Elbaramawi Samar S. , El-Adl Sobhy M. , Nafea Alaa , Mattar Amr A. , Sebaiy Mahmoud M.
Published: May 2024

Ten novel spectrophotometric approaches were developed for the initial examination of the Hydroxychloroquine and Paracetamol medications. These procedures are straightforward, specific, easy to use, and provide exact and accurate results. The determination was conducted through the utilization of several approaches, including zero order (dual wavelength, zero crossing, advanced absorption subtraction and spectrum subtraction), derivative (first derivative of zero crossing), ratio (ratio difference, ratio derivative) and mathematical (bivariate, simultaneous equation, and Q-absorbance) techniques. After undergoing validation in accordance with ICH criteria, it was established that each of these methods achieved acceptable levels of precision, repeatability, robustness, and accuracy. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are demonstrated, and the proposed and reported methodologies were statistically compared.

Graphical Abstract
Three-dimensional reconstruction of renal tumor anatomy for preoperative planning of robotic partial nephrectomy in renal cell carcinoma cases with duplex kidney: a case report
Authors: Nguyen Tuan Thanh , Thai Minh Sam , Chau Quy Thuan , Dobbs Ryan W. , Tiong Ho Yee , Pham Duc Minh , Truong Ho Trong Tan , Thai Kinh Luan , Nguyen Huynh Dang Khoa , Huynh Thanh Thien , Le Huu Phuoc , Ngo Xuan Thai
Published: May 2024

Background

The duplex kidney is one of the common congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. We present two cases of renal tumor accompanied with ipsilateral duplex kidney. The image of the tumor, renal artery system and collecting system were rendered by AI software (Fujifilm’s Synapse® AI Platform) to support the diagnosis and surgical planning.

Case presentation

Two Vietnamese patients (a 45-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman) with incidental cT1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were confirmed to have ipsilateral duplex kidneys by 3D reconstruction AI technique. One patient had a Renal score 9ah tumor of left kidney while the other had a Renal score 9 × tumor of right kidney in which a preoperative CT scan failed to identify a diagnosis of duplex kidney. Using the Da Vinci platform, we successfully performed robotic partial nephrectomy without any damage to the collecting system in both cases.

Conclusion

RCC with duplex kidneys is a rare condition. By utilizing a novel AI reconstruction technique with adequate information, two patients with RCC in duplex kidneys were successfully performed robotic partial nephrectomy without complication.
Pseudorabies virus hijacks the Rab6 protein to promote viral assembly and egress
Authors: Liang Dong-Ge , Guo Yu-Kun , Zhao Shi-Bo , Yang Guo-Yu , Han Ying-Qian , Chu Bei-Bei , Ming Sheng-Li
Published: May 2024

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is recognized as the aetiological agent responsible for Aujeszky’s disease, or pseudorabies, in swine populations. Rab6, a member of the small GTPase family, is implicated in various membrane trafficking processes, particularly exocytosis regulation. Its involvement in PRV infection, however, has not been documented previously. In our study, we observed a significant increase in the Rab6 mRNA and protein levels in both PK-15 porcine kidney epithelial cells and porcine alveolar macrophages, as well as in the lungs and spleens of mice infected with PRV. The overexpression of wild-type Rab6 and its GTP-bound mutant facilitated PRV proliferation, whereas the GDP-bound mutant form of Rab6 had no effect on viral propagation. These findings indicated that the GTPase activity of Rab6 was crucial for the successful spread of PRV. Further investigations revealed that the reduction in Rab6 levels through knockdown significantly hampered PRV proliferation and disrupted virus assembly and egress. At the molecular level, Rab6 was found to interact with the PRV glycoproteins gB and gE, both of which are essential for viral assembly and egress. Our results collectively suggest that PRV exploits Rab6 to expedite its assembly and egress and identify Rab6 as a promising novel target for therapeutic treatment for PRV infection.
Optimizing feature fusion for improved zero-shot adaptation in text-to-speech synthesis
Authors: Chen Zhiyong , Ai Zhiqi , Ma Youxuan , Li Xinnuo , Xu Shugong
Published: May 2024

In the era of advanced text-to-speech (TTS) systems capable of generating high-fidelity, human-like speech by referring a reference speech, voice cloning (VC), or zero-shot TTS (ZS-TTS), stands out as an important subtask. A primary challenge in VC is maintaining speech quality and speaker similarity with limited reference data for a specific speaker. However, existing VC systems often rely on naive combinations of embedded speaker vectors for speaker control, which compromises the capture of speaking style, voice print, and semantic accuracy. To overcome this, we introduce the Two-branch Speaker Control Module (TSCM), a novel and highly adaptable voice cloning module designed to precisely processing speaker or style control for a target speaker. Our method uses an advanced fusion of local-level features from a Gated Convolutional Network (GCN) and utterance-level features from a gated recurrent unit (GRU) to enhance speaker control. We demonstrate the effectiveness of TSCM by integrating it into advanced TTS systems like FastSpeech 2 and VITS architectures, significantly optimizing their performance. Experimental results show that TSCM enables accurate voice cloning for a target speaker with minimal data through both zero-shot or few-shot fine-tuning of pretrained TTS models. Furthermore, our TSCM-based VITS (TSCM-VITS) showcases superior performance in zero-shot scenarios compared to existing state-of-the-art VC systems, even with basic dataset configurations. Our method’s superiority is validated through comprehensive subjective and objective evaluations. A demonstration of our system is available athttps://great-research.github.io/tsct-tts-demo/, providing practical insights into its application and effectiveness.
Occurrence and inhalation health risk of neonicotinoid pesticides in outdoor air particulate matters from 2019 to 2021 in China
Authors: Du Hairong , Zhu Xiaoling , Yao Yunying , Yao Wei
Published: May 2024

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs), as a new type of insecticide, are widely used in agriculture and daily life. Because of the low volatility of NNIs, few studies have evaluated them in atmospheric particulate matter. In this study, 101 outdoor PM2.5 samples were collected from the Wuhan urban area from 2019 to 2021, leading to the detection of seven NNIs and three of their metabolites. The detection frequencies of all 10 substances were more than 60%, with DIN (dinotefuran) and IMI (imidacloprid) reaching 100%. DIN (52.4 pg/m3) and IMI (43.0 pg/m3) had higher median concentrations than other substances. Concentration distributions of the four substances ACE (acetamiprid), DIN, IMI, and 5-OH-IMI (5-Hydro-Imidacloprid) exhibited statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) across the four seasons. Concentration levels of ACE, CLO (clothianidin), and IMI were statistically different between the three years (P < 0.05). The median concentration of imidacloprid-equivalent total neonicotinoids (IMIeq: generated by the relative potency factor method) was 256.1 pg/m3. Finally, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of NNIs via respiration was greater in infants and young children than in the rest of the population, suggesting that infants and young children were more likely to be exposed to the health effects of airborne residual PM2.5.
MEM&SO protocol: understanding the determinants of social learning in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Saliou Pauline , Chavant Julien , Belliard Serge , Merck Catherine , de La Sayette Vincent , Wallon David , Martinaud Olivier , Eustache Francis , Laisney Mickaël
Published: May 2024

Background

People with neurodegenerative diseases may have difficulty learning new information, owing to their cognitive impairments. Teaching them techniques for learning in social contexts could alleviate this difficulty. The present study will examine the performances of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and patients with the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia on a memory test administered in three social contexts. The protocol will make it possible to identify determinants of social interactions, social abilities, cognition, and personality that can explain the potentially beneficial effect of social context on learning in these patients.

Methods

Thirty dyads (patient with primary memory impairment who meets criteria for Alzheimer’s disease paired with caregiver), 16 dyads (patient meeting criteria for semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia paired with caregiver), and 46 dyads (healthy controls with no cognitive complaints) will be recruited. A nonverbal memory test (social memory task) will be administered to each dyad in three different social contexts (presence-only, observation, collaboration). Patients and healthy controls will also undergo a neuropsychological assessment to measure social (interactions and abilities), cognitive and personality aspects. Patients will be compared with controls on differential social scores calculated between the presence-only and collaboration contexts, and between the presence-only and observation contexts. A multiple comparative case study will be conducted to identify social, cognitive and personality variables that potentially explain the differential scores in the collaboration and observation contexts.

Discussion

For the first time, memory will be assessed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and patients with the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia in three different contexts (presence-only, observation, collaboration). The multiple comparative case study will make it possible to identify the determinants of memory performance in the social context, in order to create the most beneficial learning context for individual patients, according to their profile.

Trial registration

This study was approved by the Ile de France XI institutional review board (2022-A00198-35), and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT05800028), on April 27, 2023.
The impact of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption on the Peruvian atmosphere: from the sea surface to the ionosphere
Authors: Pacheco E. E. , Velasquez J. P. , Flores R. , Condori L. , Fajardo G. , Kuyeng K. , Scipion D. E. , Milla M. , Conte J. F. , Poblet F. L. , Chau J. L. , Suclupe J. , Rojas R. , Manay E.
Published: May 2024

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano on 15 January 2022 significantly impacted the lower and upper atmosphere globally. Using multi-instrument observations, we described disturbances from the sea surface to the ionosphere associated with atmospheric waves generated by the volcanic eruption. Perturbations were detected in atmospheric pressure, horizontal magnetic field, equatorial electrojet (EEJ), ionospheric plasma drifts, total electron content (TEC), mesospheric and lower thermospheric (MLT) neutral winds, and ionospheric virtual height measured at low magnetic latitudes in the western South American sector (mainly in Peru). The eastward Lamb wave propagation was observed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory on the day of the eruption at 13:50 UT and on its way back from the antipodal point (westward) on the next day at 07:05 UT. Perturbations in the horizontal component of the magnetic field (indicative of EEJ variations) were detected between 12:00 and 22:00 UT. During the same period, GNSS-TEC measurements of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) coincided approximately with the arrival time of Lamb and tsunami waves. On the other hand, a large westward variation of MLT winds occurred near 18:00 UT over Peru. However, MLT perturbations due to possible westward waves from the antipode have not been identified. In addition, daytime vertical plasma drifts showed an unusual downward behavior between 12:00 and 16:00 UT, followed by an upward enhancement between 16:00 and 19:00 UT. Untypical daytime eastward zonal plasma drifts were observed when westward drifts were expected. Variations in the EEJ are highly correlated with perturbations in the vertical plasma drift exhibiting a counter-equatorial electrojet (CEEJ) between 12:00 and 16:00 UT. These observations of plasma drifts and EEJ are, so far, the only ground-based radar measurements of these parameters in the western South American region after the eruption. We attributed the ion drift and EEJ perturbations to large-scale thermospheric wind variations produced by the eruption, which altered the dynamo electric field in the Hall and Pedersen regions. These types of multiple and simultaneous observations can contribute to advancing our understanding of the ionospheric processes associated with natural hazard events and the interaction with lower atmospheric layers.

Graphical Abstract
Leaving no one behind in armed conflict-affected settings of Africa: is universal health coverage a possibility or mirage?
Authors: Olu Olushayo Oluseun , Petu Amos , Usman Abdulmumini
Published: May 2024

The world is off track six years to the 2030 deadline for attaining the sustainable development goals and universal health coverage. This is particularly evident in Africa’s armed conflict-affected and humanitarian settings, where pervasively weak health systems, extreme poverty and inequitable access to the social dimensions and other determinants of health continue to pose significant challenges to universal health coverage. In this article, we review the key issues and main barriers to universal health coverage in such settings. While our review shows that the current health service delivery and financing models in Africa’s armed conflict-affected settings provide some opportunities to leapfrog progress, others are threats which could hinder the attainment of universal health coverage. We propose four key approaches focused on addressing the barriers to the three pillars of universal health coverage, strengthening public disaster risk management, bridging the humanitarian-development divide, and using health as an enabler of peace and sustainable development as panacea to addressing the universal health coverage challenge in these settings. The principles of health system strengthening, primary health care, equity, the right to health, and gender mainstreaming should underscore the implementation of these approaches. Moving forward, we call for more advocacy, dialogue, and research to better define and adapt these approaches into a realistic package of interventions for attaining universal health coverage in Africa’s armed conflict-affected settings.
Surgical outcome of isolated benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors without neurofibromatosis
Authors: Salim Mohammud Ahmud , Elnoamany Hossam , Dorrah Mohammed Adel , Mahdy Zahraa M. , Mansour Ahmed Said
Published: May 2024

Background

Benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors (BPNSTs) include schwannomas and neurofibromas. About 10% of soft tissue sarcomas are malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), which are invasive and aggressive tumors. These can happen occasionally or after radiation exposure. Up to 90% of schwannomas are made up of differentiated neoplastic Schwann cells. Malignant transformation of schwannomas is rare.

Methods

We collected the medical records of all patients (including their family histories), performed comprehensive physical and neurological assessments, and checked for the presence of a Tinel-like sign, as well as screening for neurofibromatosis (NF) signs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nerve conduction studies, and ultrasound were done for all cases.

Results

We have operated on 21 patients with age range 29–52 years. The mean age was 39.4 years. 14 of these patients were females and 7 were males. The presenting symptoms were just swelling at nerve site in 14 patients, spontaneous pain at the nerve sites in 7 patients, and sensory deficit at the nerve distribution sites in 9 patients. The other 12 patients were sensory intact and only 7 patients had motor deficit. Postoperatively all patients had improved motor and sensory deficit and none of intact patients were worsened. Preoperatively we did MRI to show important nearby vascular structure anatomical abnormalities and we ordered nerve studies to all patients that showed abnormalities, which was only in 9 patients. Gross total resection was done in 18 patients and other 3 cases had partial resection to avoid sensory and motor deficits. The pathological analysis revealed 11 schwannomas and 10 neurofibromas. With 1 year follow up there was no recurrence in any patients.

Conclusion

Benign pheripheral nerve sheath tumours are safely resected without increased sensory and motor deficits after surgery and with improve clinical outcome with no recurrence on follow up.
Assessment of development and consumption rate of Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner predator on different prey stages
Authors: Sadek Hanaa E. , Ebadah Ibrahim M. A. , Moawad Sawsan S.
Published: May 2024

Background

Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner is one of the most important polyphagous predatory mirid bug that attack many agriculture insect pests.

Methods

The present study was carried out to show the effect of different prey stages as Tuta absoluta (eggs and fourth larval stage), Bemisia tabaci (eggs and three nymph stages) and Aphids gossypii (1st nymph stage) on the life cycle and consumption rate of male and females of M. caliginosus as predator under laboratory condition. The experiments were started by collecting the first stage of M. caliginosus nymph and placed separately on acalypha plants situated on saturated cotton pads inside Petri dishes with an excess of each prey.

Results

The results showed that the developmental period of the total immature stages of M. caliginosus female are affected by type and stage of tested prey. So, the duration of larval stages of female was significantly recorded the longest in case of feeding on eggs of T. absoluta compare to 1st nymph of A. gossypii. In addition to extension the adult longevity of female M. caliginosus, which fed on the 1st nymphal instar of B. tabaci more than the other pests. The consumption rate of total immature stages and adult M. caliginosus female were fed on eggs of B. tabaci was more than the other test pests. While the consumption rate of total immature stages and adult of male M. caliginosus were fed on eggs of B. tabaci was higher than that of the other pests.

Conclusions

The search was given the highlight focus on ability of mirid bugs to consume different insect species “stages” that might be facilitate rear predatory bugs under laboratory condition.
Drowsiness detection in real-time via convolutional neural networks and transfer learning
Authors: Salem Dina , Waleed Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Drowsiness detection is a critical aspect of ensuring safety in various domains, including transportation, online learning, and multimedia consumption. This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into drowsiness detection methods, with a specific focus on utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNN) and transfer learning. Notably, the proposed study extends beyond theoretical exploration to practical application, as we have developed a user-friendly mobile application incorporating these advanced techniques. Diverse datasets are integrated to systematically evaluate the implemented model, and the results showcase its remarkable effectiveness. For both multi-class and binary classification scenarios, our drowsiness detection system achieves impressive accuracy rates ranging from 90 to 99.86%. This research not only contributes to the academic understanding of drowsiness detection but also highlights the successful implementation of such methodologies in real-world scenarios through the development of our application.