bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value of the systemic immunoinflammatory index, nutritional risk index, and triglyceride-glucose index in predicting the condition and prognosis of patients with hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis
Authors: Wang Yuan Zhen , Yun Ya Ling , Ye Ting , Yao Wen Tun , Guo Yu Feng , Huang Li Ya
Published: January 2025

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the function and prognosis of pancreatitis in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTGAP), as assessed by the systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII), nutritional risk index (NRI), and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG).

Methods

A total of 300 patients with HTGAP who were admitted to the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected. These patients were divided into three groups based on the severity of their condition: the mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) group, the moderate-to-severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) group, and the severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group. The SII, NRI, and TyG index in the three groups were recorded and compared. The value of these indices in predicting the occurrence of HTGAP was analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

The SII and TyG index values in the SAP group (3259.4 ± 2795.8, 4.5 ± 1.1) were higher than those in the MSAP group (2563.7 ± 1614.1, 4.3 ± 0.8) and MAP group (1991.1 ± 1566.8, 4.1 ± 0.8), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.005). The ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC value of the combined SII, NRI, and TyG index for predicting SAP occurrence was 0.705 (95%CI:0.632 ~ 0.778).

Conclusion

The SII, NRI, and TyG index are related to the severity of HTGAP, and a combination of the three can better predict the occurrence of SAP.
Effect of soluble dietary fiber extracted from Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler on lipid metabolism and liver protection in mice on high-fat diet
Authors: Guo Kangxiao , Liu Jing , Yao Zihan , Tan Zhoujin , Yang Tao
Published: January 2025

With the increasing annual production of Lentinula edodes, the residues of Lentinus edodes are mass produced and wasted every year. In order to further explore the added value and effective utilization of Lentinus edodes, we studied the lipid-lowering efficacy and liver protective effect of Lentinus edodes soluble dietary fiber in mice on high-fat diet. Project team from Lentinus edodes extracted soluble dietary fiber, and its physicochemical properties, selected 30 male mice, randomly divided into normal group (N), high fat diet group (F), add low dose dietary fiber high fat diet (FL), add medium dose dietary fiber high fat diet group (FM), add high dose dietary fiber high fat diet group (FH) five groups. After 4 weeks, we assessed general state, organ conditions, liver status, blood parameters, expression of hepatic lipid metabolism genes, mRNA levels of key hepatic lipid metabolism genes. The results showed that the molecular weight of soluble dietary fiber is about 17.029 kDa, and the monosaccharides such as galactose, glucose and mannitol are connected by β-glycosidic bond. The soluble dietary fiber of Lentinus edodes can effectively slow the weight growth due to high-fat diet, delay liver tissue lesions, reduce the levels of ALT, AST, ACP, LDL-C, TG, TV, FFA, SOD, GSH and MDA, and increase the levels of γ-GT, HDL-C and CAT in blood. Lentinus edodes soluble dietary fiber decreased the expression of AMPKα and SREBP-2 in the liver, and increased the expression of PPARα, ACS, CPT1a, CYP7A1. It is proved that the soluble dietary fiber of Lentinus edodes can alleviate the organ fat accumulation caused by high-fat diet to some extent, effectively combat the liver injury, oxidative stress pressure and lipid metabolism disorder caused by high-fat diet, and provide an experimental basis for the subsequent effective use of soluble dietary fiber of Lentinus edodes in fat reduction.
A case report of successful treatment of advanced thymic squamous cell carcinoma with poor performance status using multimodal therapy
Authors: Xu Xianhua , Yan Xiang , Qin Yang , Kou Dan , Huang Qi , Chen Qiongcheng , Li Yejin
Published: January 2025

Thymic squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a rare yet aggressive tumor associated with a dismal prognosis. The patient, a 76-year-old male, presented with symptoms of fatigue, bloody sputum and dyspnea. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans demonstrated a significant mass in the chest, accompanied by metastasis to adjacent lymph nodes. Vascular ultrasound and CT angiography both indicated thrombosis in the jugular, innominate, and left subclavian veins. A CT-guided needle biopsy subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of TSCC. The patient had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) score of 4 and exhibited high PD-L1 expression. The treatment plan entailed multiple administrations of low-dose carboplatin via intrapleural injection, infusions of albumin-bound paclitaxel (ABP), and pembrolizumab. Concurrent anticoagulation and nutritional therapy were also provided. A combination of carboplatin and ABP was administered for six cycles, followed by a single cycle of ABP alone. Subsequently, pembrolizumab was administered for ten cycles. After this, pembrolizumab was temporarily discontinued, and radiation therapy was administered to the primary tumor site and mediastinal lymph nodes. Five weeks later, pembrolizumab therapy was resumed. The patient’s PS has recovered to 0, and have survived for 23 months with a good quality of life. This experience suggests that combining pembrolizumab with low-dose chemotherapy drugs could be a beneficial treatment option for patients with advanced TSCC, poor PS, and high PD-L1 expression.
COVID-19 pandemic shifted epidemiology for cancer screening sites: breast, cervix, colon, and rectum
Authors: Ishkinin Yevgeniy , Kaidarova Dilyara , Nazarbek Serzhan , Zhylkaidarova Alma , Ossikbayeva Saniya , Mussina Kamilla , Omarbayeva Nazgul
Published: January 2025

Background

This study aimed to assess the epidemiological changes in breast, cervical, colon, and rectal cancers in Kazakhstan before and during COVID-19, including early-onset cancer (EOC) diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 49, using data from the oncological service of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the 2017–2022 period.

Methods

The cohort comprised patients aged 20 to 49 years (EOC) and 50 years and older [late-onset cancer (LOC)] from the total number of patients diagnosed each year during the study period of 2017 to 2022 for breast, cervical, colon, or rectal cancer. In order to indicate a difference in one-time intervals and characterize the global trend over the entire study period, annual percentage change (APC) and average APC (AAPC) were calculated, respectively.

Results

Breast cancer detection rates increased by 22.8% for EOC and 15.9% for LOC from 2017 to 2022, and AAPC increased by 4.3% for EOC and 3.6% for LOC. During the COVID-19 restriction period, breast cancer detection rates decreased by 6.1% for EOC and 15.6% for LOC. Cervical cancer detection rates increased by 2.3% for EOC and 7.5% for LOC from 2017 to 2022, and AAPC increased by 0.9% for EOC and 1.6% for LOC. During the COVID-19 restriction period, cervical cancer detection rates decreased by 11.3% for EOC and 3.1% for LOC. Colon cancer detection rates increased by 18.4% for EOC and 14.3% for LOC from 2017 to 2022, and AAPC increased by 3.7% for EOC and 2.9% for LOC. During the COVID-19 restriction period, colon cancer detection rates decreased by 14.4% for EOC and 5.8% for LOC. Rectal cancer detection rates increased by 13.6% for EOC and 19.2% for LOC from 2017 to 2022, and AAPC increased by 3.0% for EOC and by 3.9% for LOC. During the COVID-19 restriction period, rectal cancer detection rates increased by 18.6% for EOC and decreased by 12.0% for LOC.

Conclusion

The epidemiological indicators of population cancer screening worsened during the COVID pandemic; the detection rate decreased by 6.1% for breast EOC and 11.3% for cervical EOC, while there was an increase by 38.0% in EOC for colon cancer in men and by 8.0% in EOC for rectal cancer in men and 31.1% in women.
Analysis of the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound, MRI, and combined examination in benign and malignant breast tumors
Authors: Ma Dianpei , Wang Changliang , Li Jie , Hao Xiaohan , Zhu Yun , Gao Zhizhen , Liu Chun , Luo Changfan , Huang Yu
Published: January 2025

Background

To compare the diagnostic effectiveness of ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and their combined application in distinguishing between benign and malignant breast tumors, with particular emphasis on evaluating diagnostic performance in different breast densities—fatty breast tissue, where fat predominates, and dense breast tissue, which contains a significant amount of fibroglandular tissue.

Materials and methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 185 patients with breast tumors, including 90 malignant and 95 benign cases. All patients underwent both US and MRI examinations within one week prior to surgery. The diagnostic accuracy of US, MRI, and their combined use in differentiating benign and malignant tumors was evaluated.

Results

The combined examination demonstrated the highest area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and negative predictive value (NPV) (0.904, 90%, 90.4%), outperforming US (0.830, 73.3%, 78.6%) and MRI (0.897, 89.7%, 88.8%). DeLong test results revealed statistically significant differences in AUC between US and MRI, as well as between US and the combined examination (P < 0.05). However, the difference in AUC between MRI and the combined examination was not significant (P = 0.939). In patients with fatty breast tissue, no significant differences were found between MRI and US, or between MRI and the combined examination (P = 0.708 and P = 0.317, respectively). However, the diagnostic performance between US and the combined examination was statistically significant (P < 0.05). For patients with dense breast tissue, the differences in diagnostic performance between US and MRI, and between US and the combined examination, were significant (P < 0.05), while the difference between MRI and the combined examination was not significant (P = 0.317).

Conclusion

MRI and combined examination methods significantly enhance the ability to differentiate benign and malignant breast tumors and provide important clinical value for early breast cancer detection.
Risk factors for malignancy in pediatric subacute/chronic focal craniocervical lymphadenopathy
Authors: Haimi-Cohen Yishai , Elron Eyal , Oz-Alcalay Lital , Hejly Lama , Hod Roy , Ashkenazi-Hoffnung Liat
Published: January 2025

Aims

To describe the factors associated with malignancy in otherwise healthy children with focal persistent isolated craniocervical lymphadenopathy at low risk for malignancy, in order to aid in decisions of nodal surgical excision.

Material and methods

Demographic and clinical data were retrospectively obtained for children with subacute and chronic craniocervical lymphadenopathy, treated from January 2008 to December 2020 at a general pediatric ambulatory clinic of a tertiary center. Univariate and multivariate analyses of risk factors for malignancy were performed.

Results

Of the 450 children included, median age 4.2 years (interquartile age: 2.4–8.7), 25 (5.6%) were eventually diagnosed with a malignancy. In univariate analysis, factors associated with malignancy included older age, increased nodal size, location (supraclavicular and lateral cervical), systemic signs such as decreased appetite and weight loss, and abnormal imaging studies. Referral by an ear, nose, throat specialist vs. a family physician or a pediatrician was also associated with malignancy. Fever, night sweats, pruritus, hepatosplenomegaly and laboratory workup were not associated with malignancy. Twenty percent of the children older than 12.5 years and 12% of those with a lymph node diameter >31 mm were diagnosed with malignancy. Multivariate analysis showed associations with malignancy of older age and larger lymph nodes; the respective odds ratios were 1.649 (95%CI: 1.197–2.349, p = 0.004) for every 3 years and 2.080 (95%CI: 1.292–3.330, p = 0.002) for every one centimeter.

Conclusions

Older age and increased nodal size can help identify children with focal craniocervical lymphadenopathy who are at increased risk for malignancy and for whom surgical intervention should be strongly considered.
Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) for pediatric kidney disease: the future is near
Authors: Portalatin Gilda M. , Hong-McAtee Irene , Burgner Anna M. , Gould Edward R. , Hunley Tracy E.
Published: January 2025

The sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) functions in the proximal tubule to reabsorb the bulk of filtered glucose. SGLT2 inhibitors have been developed to promote renal glucose excretion to improve glycemic control in diabetes. Regulatory guidance mandated adequately powered studies to detect increased cardiovascular risk from emerging hypoglycemic medications. This led to recognition of remarkable improvement in cardiovascular and kidney outcomes with SGLT2 inhibition. Moreover, cardiovascular and kidney benefits extend beyond patients with diabetes. The dramatic kidney benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors documented in CKD in adult patients underscores the need for pediatric nephrologists to familiarize themselves with SGLT2 inhibitor therapies. This review explores the currently available body of knowledge regarding the kidney protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in adults and mechanisms thought to contribute to improved kidney outcomes. The limited data for SGLT2i treatment in pediatric kidney disease are reviewed and highlight the need for randomized controlled trials of this drug class in pediatric kidney patients as has been done for pediatric diabetes. Dosing patterns for SGLT2 inhibitors from other pediatric settings are reviewed as well as guidance for initiating SGLT2 inhibition in young adults remaining in pediatric nephrology care.
Exploring the role of curcumin in mitigating oxidative stress to alleviate lipid metabolism disorders
Authors: Cheng Maojun , Ding Fang , Li Liyang , Dai Changmao , Sun Xiaolan , Xu Jia , Chen Feier , Li Mingxiu , Li Xueping
Published: January 2025

Lipid metabolism plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and overall health, as lipids are essential molecules involved in bioenergetic processes. An increasing body of research indicates that disorders of lipid metabolism can contribute to the development and progression of various diseases, including hyperlipidemia, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and cancer, potentially leading to poor prognoses. The activation of the oxidative stress pathway disrupts lipid metabolism and induces cellular stress, significantly contributing to metabolic disorders. A well-documented crosstalk and interconnection between these metabolic disorders exists. Consequently, researchers have sought to identify antioxidant-rich substances in readily accessible everyday foods for potential use as complementary therapies. Curcumin, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has been shown to enhance cellular antioxidant activity, mitigate oxidative stress, and alleviate lipid metabolism disorders by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. These effects include decreasing fat deposition, increasing fatty acid uptake, and improving insulin sensitivity. A review of the existing literature reveals numerous studies emphasizing the role of curcumin in the prevention and management of metabolic diseases. Curcumin influences metabolic disorders through multiple mechanisms of action, with the oxidative stress pathway playing a central role in various lipid metabolism disorders. Thus, we aimed to elucidate the role of curcumin in various metabolic disorders through a unified mechanism of action, offering new insights into the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases. Firstly, this article provides a brief overview of the basic pathophysiological processes of oxidative stress and lipid metabolism, as well as the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of lipid metabolism disorders. Notably, the article reviews the role of curcumin in mitigating oxidative stress and in preventing and treating diseases associated with lipid metabolism disorders, including hyperlipidemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), atherosclerosis, obesity, and diabetes, thereby highlighting the therapeutic potential of curcumin in lipid metabolism-related diseases.
Move contrast X-ray imaging reveals wall infiltration along maize leaf vessels before water refilling
Authors: Li Ke , Wang Feixiang , Xue Yanling , Huang Shiquan , Liu Zhixuan , Xiao Tiqiao
Published: January 2025

Research on the recovery mechanism of embolized vessels requires dynamic and sensitive observations of water refilling. The stable translation of the water/air interface was observed using X-ray absorption and phase contrast imaging. In this study, move contrast X-ray imaging (MCXI) was used to investigate the effect of the microstructure within microvessels on water refilling. Experimental verification using a maize leaf demonstrated that this method was approximately 12 times more sensitive than traditional transmission X-ray imaging. The pre-infiltration of water into the sieve pores of the side wall before water refilling was observed, which provided evidence of a deduction of two-step dynamic equilibrium during water refilling along cavitated vessels and water level rise in dynamic equilibrium instead of translating stably. Several quantitative analyses of the dynamic equilibrium were conducted owing to the high sensitivity of MCXI, making MCXI a promising tool to further investigate the micro-mechanism recovery of embolized vessels.
Intracellular iron accumulation throughout the progression of sepsis influences the phenotype and function of activated macrophages in renal tissue damage
Authors: Hanna Mira , Akabawy Ahmed M. A. , Khalifa Mohamed Mansour , Elbaset Marawan Abd , Imam Reda Abdelnasser , Seddiek Hanan
Published: January 2025

Sepsis, the most common cause of acute kidney injury, remains a major socioeconomic burden. A dysregulated immune response leads to progressive organ dysfunction. Although numerous inflammatory pathways were described, most are still vague and need to be studied in terms of the mechanisms to improve the therapeutic intervention. We tackled the relationship between intracellular iron overload and macrophage polarization within 6, 24, and 72 h of sepsis induction. In our study, sepsis-induced kidney injury was caused by using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model. Our results indicated severe renal tissue damage with a progressive increase in serum BUN and creatinine with architectural tissue damage and positive PAS staining. There was increased expression of CD8+ CD68+ M1 macrophage markers with upregulation of iNOS and co-expression of CD163+. Alternatively, Arg1+ Fizz1+ M2 macrophage markers were downregulated with increased iNOS/Arg1 ratio. TFR1, cubilin, and DMT1, as iron transport systems, were increased compared to sham but were significant after 72 h, while ZIP8 showed no significant change. There was a correlation between iron overload and M1 macrophage polarization with CD163+ phenotype, together with fibrotic changes. The intracellular iron overload with downregulation of ferritin was strongly related to macrophage polarization that was exaggerated at 72 h. Finally, early introduced therapy to target free iron during sepsis is a proposed novel solution for protecting the renal tissue from acute injury due to macrophage activation that may end up with chronic kidney injury, if not mortality.
Cognitive improvement and prefrontal network interactions in individuals with remitted bipolar disorder after transcranial infrared laser stimulation
Authors: Barrett Douglas W. , Davis Roger E. , Siegel-Ramsay Jennifer E. , Bichlmeier Amy , Almeida Jorge R. C. , Gonzalez-Lima F.
Published: January 2025

Background

Converging evidence suggests that bipolar disorder (BD) involves mitochondrial dysfunction and prefrontal cortex (PFC) hypometabolism associated with cognitive impairment, which persists in remitted BD individuals. Transcranial infrared laser stimulation (TILS) provides safe, non-invasive brain stimulation that enhances PFC metabolism via photobiomodulation of mitochondrial respiration and tissue oxygenation. We tested the hypothesis that the neurocognitive deficits found in BD may be ameliorated by TILS treatments.

Methods

This is the first study to explore neurocognitive effects of repeated TILS administration in BD. Using an open-label design, 29 individuals with remitted BD received six weekly TILS treatments. Working memory and attention were assessed with trail-making and 2-back tasks sensitive to TILS cognitive effects in individuals with BD. Changes in PFC network interactions were measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) because this method can measure TILS effects on oxygen metabolism in the PFC of individuals with BD.

Results

Participants reported no adverse effects from treatment, confirming the safety of this intervention in individuals with BD. Cognitive test results showed that in people with remitted BD, TILS was effective at improving cognition, i.e., enhanced speed and accuracy in tasks reflecting cognitive flexibility, working memory, and attentional control. Antipsychotic medication improved TILS cognitive effects. The fNIRS results showed a significant reduction in PFC network correlations of oxygenated hemoglobin changes driven by cognitive task performance. The right-hemisphere frontopolar cortex showed greater TILS effects than its left-hemisphere counterpart.

Conclusions

Repeated TILS is a safe intervention to improve cognition in people with remitted BD. Continued antipsychotic medication may have contributed to the cognitive improvement. To confirm TILS efficacy, a sham-controlled, double-blinded randomized trial is needed.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT05354895.
The double-edged sword effect of conscientiousness on the work engagement of medical staff in Chinese public hospitals
Authors: Sun Hui , Hua Xuelu , Wu Shibing , Sun Ling
Published: January 2025

Background

In China, medical staff in public hospitals are the primary providers of healthcare services. Their work engagement directly affects patients’ perceptions of the level and quality of their medical services. Conscientiousness has a significant impact on the work engagement of medical staff, but the mechanism between the two is not yet clear.

Objective

This study examined the double-edged sword effect of conscientiousness on medical staff work engagement, with a particular focus on exploring the mediating effects of thriving at work (TAW) and workload, as well as the moderating effect of perceived insider status (PIS).

Methods

The study sample was drawn from four public hospitals in the Jiangsu Province, Shanghai City, and Zhejiang Province. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS, and mediation and moderations effects tested were conducted through the Bootstrap method.

Results

The results demonstrate the following: (1) conscientiousness has a positive effect on the work engagement of medical staff; (2) conscientiousness has a positive effect on work engagement through thriving at work (TAW), and a negative effect on work engagement through workloads; (3) perceived insider status (PIS) moderates the relationship between conscientiousness and TAW, and the relationship between conscientiousness and workloads; and (4) PIS moderates the indirect effect of conscientiousness on work engagement through TAW, whereas the mediated relationship is strengthened when medical staff members exhibit a higher PIS. Simultaneously, PIS moderates the indirect effect of conscientiousness on work engagement through workload, and the mediating relationship is weakened for medical staff members who have a higher PIS.

Conclusion

This study provides a balanced and dialectical understanding of the impact of conscientiousness, providing significant reference for enhancing the work engagement of medical staff in public hospitals.
Never lose sight of enemies: giant honeybees perceive troublemakers even in mass flight mode—a case study
Authors: Kastberger Gerald , Ebner Martin , Hötzl Thomas
Published: January 2025

This case study investigates the social behavior of the giant honeybee (Apis dorsata) during mass flight activity (MFA), a critical aspect of colony functioning. This evolutionarily ancient species builds its nests on trees, cliffs, or man-made structures. A colony periodically transitions from a semi-quiescent state to MFA mode, typically up to four times a day for 5–10 min. During MFA, the colony undergoes a profound reorganization of roles, and its defense capabilities are temporarily lost as the top layer of the bee curtain peels off, making the colony less responsive to external threats. This period is thought to result in a temporary “blindness” to disturbances, increasing vulnerability. To investigate this, the study analyzes three episodes from a larger data set, each consisting of over 60,000 video frames and 4,000 infrared images, with a focus on the MFA phase. The colony was exposed to a wasp dummy designed to simulate a real threat, triggering shimmering waves when the bees were in a quiescent state. This setup allowed the study to assess how the colony's defensive readiness fluctuates during MFA. Each episode included up to 20 experimental sessions, in which the colony's responses to the wasp stimulus and the unstimulated situation were examined. Data were collected from five 11 × 11 cm quadrants on the nest surface. Thermal data were analyzed in conjunction with motion activity data from previous studies to understand the temporal and spatial dynamics of motion–heat coupling during MFA. Results show that the mouth zone of the nest acts as a command center for coordinating MFAs. Despite its temporary vulnerability during MFA, the colony can still detect and respond to external threats, although with reduced defense capabilities. This case study highlights the complex behavioral and physiological processes involved in MFA in A. dorsata and sheds light on the extent to which the colony maintains some level of defense capability despite the agitation that occurs during nest restructuring. Only for a short period of approximately 1 min is it virtually paralyzed by the external stimulation, showing signs of social thanatosis.
Wildfire indicators modeling for reserved forest of Vellore district (Tamil Nadu, India)
Authors: Sultan Yara EzAl Deen , Pillai Kanni Raj Arumugam , Sharma Archana
Published: January 2025

Forest fires significantly impact ecosystems; thus, identifying characteristics that increase the danger of fires is critical to mitigating their negative impacts. This study examines the parameters contributing to wildfires in the Vellore Reserve Forest This paper aims to develop GIS-based risk maps and models to enhance fire protection, fuel mitigation strategies, and land use decisions by improving wildfire risk recognition and prediction. This research discusses Wildfire Modeling in Vellore Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu, India. This field is large and rich in knowledge on the study of wildfires in the study area. Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state, is divided into 32 districts with diverse landscapes and ecosystems. The Vellore district, covering 6,077 square kilometers, has a significant 27% forest cover, covering 162,286 ha. This forest is primarily found between latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates in the calm taluks of Gudiyatham, Tirupattur, and Vellore—the Vellore Reserve Forest Report 2023 highlights this ecological diversity. Geographic information systems (GIS) based analysis of forest fire was done using normalized difference vegetation index, normalized difference moisture index, fuel danger index (human) activity danger index, weather danger index, topographic danger index, normalized burn ratio index, and differenced Normalized Burn Ratio. The geographical scope of this research encompasses the entire Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, India. Real-time maps were photographed by MODIS and Landsat nine satellites to obtain a normalized difference in vegetation and moisture index. Initially, data are converted to digital maps. The most helpful fuel, activity, weather, and topography danger indexes are calculated using the Raster Calculator utility, Euclidean Distance tool, Kriging tool, and Digital Elevation Model, respectively. In the Vellore district, the calculated activity danger index ranges from 0 to 12,000, showing that the high risk emanates from human activities. The climate is dry from May to July, and the weather danger index is 345–348. In other seasons, the weather index is 338–341, indicating a low-risk level. In Vellore, low to medium-risk values for the topography index are 56.5–933, and high-risk values are 934–1,690. Fire severity is indexed in terms of both NBR and dNBR. NBR and dNBR are calculated from the NIR-SWIR ratio. Despite the limited data sources being a big challenge in this paper, the innovative elements of this study are characterized by a comprehensive, integrated strategy that employs GIS technology, providing an understanding of localized factors influencing wildfire ignition. This research contributes significant data and insights regarding the metrics that govern wildfire dynamics, serving as a vital resource for wildfire management efforts in the region. This paper assists in applying the models to predict the future wildfire risk under climate change and land use conditions.
Sepsis: Using Computers to Understand a Life-Threatening Condition
Authors: Hancock Robert E. W.
Published: January 2025

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection in which the immune system, which usually helps fight infections, reacts abnormally and can cause organs to stop working. About 20% of deaths worldwide are attributed to sepsis—more than any type of heart disease or cancer. Sepsis can be difficult for doctors to recognize because symptoms start out similar to many other medical conditions, and it is hard to treat because the bodily “malfunctions” that cause sepsis vary between patients. To recognize sepsis early and understand differences between patients, researchers are looking at many parts of the immune system at once, collecting lots of data on patients’ genes and proteins. Computers are used to analyze the data, to identify unique patterns or connections. By doing so, scientists have identified unique groups of sepsis patients that differ in their immune responses. This knowledge can help doctors choose the best treatment for each person and might even help protect people from severe COVID-19 or future pandemics.
Deciphering sepsis: transforming diagnosis and treatment through systems immunology
Authors: Hancock Robert E. W. , An Andy , dos Santos Claudia C. , Lee Amy H. Y.
Published: January 2025

Sepsis is an abnormal, life-threatening response to infection that leads to (multi-)organ dysfunction and failure. It causes ~20% of deaths worldwide each year, and most deaths related to severe COVID-19 share various molecular features with sepsis. Current treatment approaches (antimicrobials and supportive care) do not address the complexity of sepsis or its mechanistic heterogeneity between and within patients over time. Systems immunology methods, including multiomics (notably RNA sequencing transcriptomics), machine learning, and network biology analysis, have the potential to transform the management paradigm toward precision approaches. Immune dysfunctions evident very early in sepsis drive the development of novel diagnostic gene expression signatures (e.g., cellular reprogramming) that could inform early therapy. Sepsis patients can now be categorized into “endotypes” based on unique immune dysfunction mechanisms corresponding to varying severity and mortality rates, raising the prospect of endotype-specific diagnostics and patient-specific immune-directed therapy. Longitudinal within-patient analyses can also reveal mechanisms (including epigenetics) that drive differential sepsis trajectories over time, enabling the prospect of disease stage-specific therapy during and after hospitalization, including for post-sepsis and long COVID syndromes. Achieving this transformation will require addressing barriers to systems immunology research, including its cost and resource-intensiveness, the relatively low volume of available data, and lack of suitable animal models; it will also require a change in the mindset of healthcare providers toward precision approaches. This should be prioritized in multistakeholder collaborations involving research communities, healthcare providers/systems, patients, and governments to reduce the current high disease burden from sepsis and to mitigate against future pandemics.
Relationship between physical activity during pregnancy and maternal health outcomes: evidence from the MAASTHI cohort study in Bengaluru, India
Authors: Ana Yamuna , van den Brand Floor A. , van Schayck Onno C. P. , Babu Giridhara R.
Published: January 2025

Background

Sedentary behavior is one of the major modifiable behavioral risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Physical activity (PA) is crucial during pregnancy but pregnant women may become sedentary, leading to adverse health outcomes. Our study aimed to explore the association between social support and PA levels during pregnancy and the relationship between sedentary behavior and adverse pregnancy health outcomes including delivery.

Methods

The study used a validated physical activity questionnaire to assess the physical activity levels of pregnant women. We collected detailed sociodemographic information, pregnancy characteristics, assessed social support. We assessed presence of depressive symptoms and conducted oral glucose tolerance tests, hemoglobin and blood pressure assessments, anthropometric measurements, and collected delivery details. We used linear logistic regression to assess the association between a continuous measure of physical activity level and maternal outcomes and performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to understand the association between sedentary behavior and maternal health outcomes and mode of delivery after adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

We interviewed 2,424 eligible pregnant women at baseline and 1,317 were considered in the final analysis after excluding those who missed follow-ups. We observed that one unit increase in physical activity level was associated with reduced prenatal depressive symptoms (β = −6.36, p < 0.001), fasting (β = 2.06, p = 0.04), and postprandial blood sugar levels (β = −0.99, p = 0.01), respectively. Pregnant women who had good social support tended to engage in higher levels of activity. In addition, women who engaged in sedentary behavior during pregnancy were 1.07 times more likely to be obese and 4.32 times more likely to have elective cesarean section (C-section) delivery than those who engaged in moderate activity.

Conclusion

The study found that physical activity during pregnancy has several beneficial effects on maternal prenatal health outcomes, including a reduced risk of obesity and C-section delivery, lower blood glucose levels, and improved mental health. Therefore, it is essential to adhere to the recommended guidelines for physical activity during pregnancy. Healthcare providers and policymakers in India should consider promoting physical activity as part of comprehensive routine prenatal care.
Autonomía universitaria en Ecuador: evolución, resistencia y realidad
Authors:   Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, UIDE., Monteros Montaño María del Carmen
Published: January 2025

In Ecuador, university autonomy has a great story that must be told, to do so, we must look back, from when Ecuador was recognized as a democratic state and to the birth of the university as a social institution. This principle has led to many struggles that were generated in social movements made up of students who tried to provide answers and fight for the recognition of rights and solve social problems when the oppressed had no alternative.
The fight for the recognition of university autonomy persists to this day, facing the new challenges that evolution, society, technology and the world demand.
Satureja kitaibelii Essential Oil and Extracts: Bioactive Compounds and Pesticide Properties
Authors: Nikolova Milena , Lyubenova Aneta , Yankova-Tsvetkova Elina , Georgiev Borislav , Gavrilov Genadi , Gavrilova Anna
Published: January 2025

In recent years, the essential oil of Satureja species has been studied as a source of biocidal activity with potential applications in organic farming such as bio-pesticides. The present study aims to determine the potential of essential oil (EO), exudate fraction (EF) and methanolic extract (ME) of Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. to inhibit the mycelial growth of phytopathogenic fungi and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Additionally, ME was tested for inhibitory activity on seed germination and root elongation. Phytochemical analysis was conducted using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Biological activities were studied using in vitro methods. p-Cymene, limonene, geraniol, carvacrol and borneol were identified as the main components of EO. Oleanolic and ursolic acid, carvacrol and flavonoid aglycones were determined as the most abundant bioactive compounds of EF, whereas rosmarinic acid and flavonoid glycosides were found in ME. EO reduced the growth of all tested plant pathogens, indicated by 40% to 84% inhibition of mycelial growth (IMG). The growth rates of oomycetes Phytophthora cryptogea Pethybr. & Laff. and Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan were affected to the greatest extent with 84% and 68% IMG. EF showed the most potent AChE inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 0.18 mg/mL. Aqueous solutions of the ME with a concentration above 5 mg/mL were found to inhibit seed germination by more than 90%, whereas a reduction in root elongation was observed at 3 mg/mL. The present study provides for the first time data for the pesticidal properties of EO, EF and ME of S. kitaibelii.
New Records and Descriptions of Three New Species of Quadriacanthus (Monopisthocotyla: Dactylogyridae) from Catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes, Clariidae) in the Upper Congo Basin
Authors: Kasembele Gyrhaiss K. , Vanhove Maarten P. M. , Mushagalusa Mulega Archimède , Chocha Manda Auguste , Jorissen Michiel W. P. , Luus-Powell Wilmien J. , Smit Willem J. , Bilong Bilong Charles F. , Bahanak Dieu-ne-dort
Published: January 2025

In the Upper Congo Basin, there are few records of monopisthocotylan parasites from clariids. More surveys of clariid fishes can lead to the discovery of multiple monopisthocotylan species that are new to the region or new to science. We aimed to investigate the monopisthocotylan parasite fauna belonging to Quadriacanthus of five clariid fishes in the Upper Congo Basin by (i) inventorying the species composition and providing the description of new species when necessary, and (ii) analysing their infection parameters. Clarias ngamensis, C. stappersii, C. buthupogon, C. gariepinus and C. theodorae were purchased from fishermen in the Lufira, Lubumbashi and Kafubu rivers in the Upper Congo Basin. Monopisthocotylans were mounted on glass slides with ammonium picrate-glycerin for identification based on morphological analysis of genital and haptoral sclerotised parts. Eight species, namely Q. aegypticus, Q. allobychowskiella, Q. amakaliae, Q. domatanai, Q. halajiani, Q. kalomboi n. sp., Q. bassocki n. sp. and Q. shigoleyae n. sp. are reported. The most prevalent parasite species was Q. amakaliae on C. stappersii (prevalence 60%) with a mean infection intensity of 9.8 ± 7.7. We report C. stappersii and C. buthupogon as new hosts for species of Quadriacanthus as well as three new parasite species for science and new localities for the first five parasite species mentioned above. The new records and the description of Q. kalomboi n. sp., Q. bassocki n. sp. and Q. shigoleyae n. sp. increase the knowledge of the diversity of monopisthocotylans in this region.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Models in Antimicrobial Stewardship in Public Health: A Narrative Review
Authors: Pennisi Flavia , Pinto Antonio , Ricciardi Giovanni Emanuele , Signorelli Carlo , Gianfredi Vincenza
Published: January 2025

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, necessitating innovative approaches in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as transformative tools in this domain, enabling data-driven interventions to optimize antibiotic use and combat resistance. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted role of AI and ML models in enhancing antimicrobial stewardship efforts across healthcare systems. AI-powered predictive analytics can identify patterns of resistance, forecast outbreaks, and guide personalized antibiotic therapies by leveraging large-scale clinical and epidemiological data. ML algorithms facilitate rapid pathogen identification, resistance profiling, and real-time monitoring, enabling precise decision making. These technologies also support the development of advanced diagnostic tools, reducing the reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics and fostering timely, targeted treatments. In public health, AI-driven surveillance systems improve the detection of AMR trends and enhance global monitoring capabilities. By integrating diverse data sources—such as electronic health records, laboratory results, and environmental data—ML models provide actionable insights to policymakers, healthcare providers, and public health officials. Additionally, AI applications in antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) promote adherence to prescribing guidelines, evaluate intervention outcomes, and optimize resource allocation. Despite these advancements, challenges such as data quality, algorithm transparency, and ethical considerations must be addressed to maximize the potential of AI and ML in this field. Future research should focus on developing interpretable models and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to ensure the equitable and sustainable integration of AI into antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.
ConceptVAE: Self-Supervised Fine-Grained Concept Disentanglement from 2D Echocardiographies
Authors: Ciușdel Costin F. , Serban Alex , Passerini Tiziano
Published: January 2025

While traditional self-supervised learning methods improve performance and robustness across various medical tasks, they rely on single-vector embeddings that may not capture fine-grained concepts such as anatomical structures or organs. The ability to identify such concepts and their characteristics without supervision has the potential to improve pre-training methods, and enable novel applications such as fine-grained image retrieval and concept-based outlier detection. In this paper, we introduce ConceptVAE, a novel pre-training framework that detects and disentangles fine-grained concepts from their style characteristics in a self-supervised manner. We present a suite of loss terms and model architecture primitives designed to discretise input data into a preset number of concepts along with their local style. We validate ConceptVAE both qualitatively and quantitatively, demonstrating its ability to detect fine-grained anatomical structures such as blood pools and septum walls from 2D cardiac echocardiographies. Quantitatively, ConceptVAE outperforms traditional self-supervised methods in tasks such as region-based instance retrieval, semantic segmentation, out-of-distribution detection, and object detection. Additionally, we explore the generation of in-distribution synthetic data that maintains the same concepts as the training data but with distinct styles, highlighting its potential for more calibrated data generation. Overall, our study introduces and validates a promising new pre-training technique based on concept-style disentanglement, opening multiple avenues for developing models for medical image analysis that are more interpretable and explainable than black-box approaches.
Preparation of Large-Sized Flaky Al2O3 for Thermally Conductive Fillers and Its Formation Mechanisms
Authors: Wang Chengmin , Xia Zun , Qiao Jianli , Wang Xiuhui , Gao Hong , Yu Hongbo , Yang Jinlong
Published: January 2025

Combining large-sized flaky alumina and spherical alumina as thermally conductive fillers in thermal management materials can effectively establish heat-conducting pathways and significantly increase the system’s heat conduction value. Conventional preparation processes typically produce flaky alumina with a small size and a low diameter-to-thickness ratio, often failing to meet the requirements for applications as thermally conductive fillers. By combining the conventional molten salt method with gas-phase fluoride ions, this study produced large-sized, flaky α-Al2O3 with a diameter ranging from 10 to 50 μm, a thickness of 200–500 nm, and a diameter-to-thickness ratio between 80 and 150. This study revealed that as the size of the flaky alumina increases, so does the thermal conductivity value, but the viscosity also rises, and the limit filling rate decreases. When 3% of the large-sized flaky alumina was added to the compounded thermal conductive filler system, the thermal conductivity of the gel increased by 25%.
Tea Waste as a Sustainable Catalyst Support for Enhanced Removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern via the Electro-Fenton Process: A Circular Economy Approach
Authors: Moreno-Bermedo Lucas , Correa-Puerta Jonathan , González-Fuentes Claudio , Escalona Néstor , Onfray Christian , Thiam Abdoulaye
Published: January 2025

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, represent a significant threat to environmental and human health. In this context, the electro-Fenton (EF) process has emerged as a highly effective technique for the removal of such pollutants. This study investigates the innovative use of tea waste material (TWM) in combination with copper-iron nanoparticles (FeCuNPs) to degrade a mixture of CECs. A central aspect of this research is the sustainable reuse of organic waste material, such as TWM, to support catalytic nanoparticles. This approach not only utilizes a resource that would otherwise be discarded but also promotes sustainability in the treatment of contaminated water, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. The as-prepared FeCuNPs@TWM catalyst was fully characterized, and critical parameters influencing the pollutant removal were assessed, including adsorption capacity, catalyst load, and applied current. Under optimized conditions, the EF process, enhanced by FeCuNPs@TWM, achieved complete degradation of the contaminants within 15 min of the electrochemical process, and the activity remained after five catalytic cycles. Results demonstrate that using tea waste functionalized with FeCu nanoparticles as a catalyst not only improves the efficiency of the EF process but also offers an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative.