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Ghana has refocused its national malaria programme to align with an agenda of malaria elimination. The key interventions in the strategic plan include enhancing epidemiological surveillance for reactive case detection (RACD). Identifying asymptomatic infections using index cases can help understand the epidemiology of malaria and guide its elimination. The study determined asymptomatic carriage in index cases household members and neighbours living near index cases and the suitability of diagnostic accuracy to inform RACD. A cross-sectional health centre and community-based studies were conducted in the Shai Osudoku district. Passive surveillance involved 19 index cases that triggered RACD in 67 index cases household members and 414 neighbours. Malaria was diagnosed using rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits, microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Overall malaria prevalence was 8.00% [CI95: 5.78–10.73] by RDT, 10.00% [CI95: 7.51–12.97] by microscopy and 12.60% [CI95: 9.82–15.83] by qPCR. Index cases household members were 2 times more likely of having malaria compared to their neighbours. Across cohorts, significant difference [p = 0.012] was observed between index cases household members and neighbours by qPCR. The mean distribution of Plasmodium spp. parasite densities among positive outcomes of the RDT test in study participants was 162 [IQR: 77.75–3919] parasite/µL of blood, and 96.00 [IQR: 48.00–181.30] parasite/µL of blood in RDT negative outcomes. The mean parasite densities associated with RDT positive results differed significantly from that of the RDT negative results [p = 0.026]. Index cases household members were more likely of having malaria compared to their neighbours. RACD is needed to identify asymptomatic malaria infections and complement efforts that target individuals in low transmission and elimination areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interview with Shai Shaham, who studies glia–neuron interactions in C. elegans at The Rockefeller University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Even though malaria is easily preventable and treatable, it continues to have a devastating impact on people's health and livelihoods around the world. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. This study seeks to assess the prevalence, trends and factors associated with malaria in the Shai-Osudoku District Hospital, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence, trend, and factors associated with malaria in the Shai-Osudoku District Hospital; a 10-month secondary data was extracted from February to November 2020. The extracted data were entered into Epi Data version 6 and analysed using STATA version 16. Descriptive analysis was performed to determine the prevalence, trend and socio-demographic characteristics of study participants. Simple logistic regression at a 95% confidence level was performed to investigate socio-demographic factors associated with malaria infection. Tables and charts with summary statistics were used to present the results. Results: Secondary data from 3896 individuals were included in the study. The age of the participants range from 0.8 to 101 years with a mean age of 32.5. The estimated prevalence of malaria during the study period is 20.9%. A majority (79.1%) of the participants who presented signs and symptoms of malaria were negative after testing. The prevalence of malaria cases increased progressively from 6.7 to 55.4% across the ten months. The simple logistic regression at a 95% confidence level revealed that age group, sex, residential status, religion, occupation and marital status were statistically significantly associated with malaria. The results shows that persons who tested positive for malaria were mostly treated with artemether-lumefantrine (46.1%), some malaria positive cases were given artesunate injection (11.6%), dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (16.2%) and oral artemether-lumefantrine (6.5%). Surprisingly 19.6% of the malaria-positive cases were not given any form of malaria medication. Conclusion: Factors found to influence malaria infection in the Shai-Osudoku District Hospital include participant's age, sex, residential status, religious affiliation occupation and marital status. The findings of this study showed that malaria remains a serious public health problem in the Shai Osudoku District Hospital. The information obtained from this study can guide the implementation of malaria prevention, control and elimination strategies in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Availability and access to cervical cancer screening (CCS) in less developed countries are limited as compared to developed countries. Moreover, the rise in cervical cancer fatalities and mortalities is attributed to the low patronage in CCS among women. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the cues to cervical cancer screening and perceptions of the reaction to cervical cancer diagnosis among women in Shai Osudoku District. Methods: A qualitative approach and an exploratory descriptive design were considered by the researcher for this study. Seventeen participants in all were recruited to partake in face-to-face in-depth interviews guided by semi-structured interviews. The sampling technique employed is purposive and content analysis was used in the data analysis. Findings: Two main themes, i.e., cues to cervical cancer screening and perception about women’s reaction to cervical cancer diagnosis, emerged. Health workers, peer influence, spousal influence, creation of awareness and reducing cervical cancer screening cost emerged as major determinants (cues) that influence women’s decision to (not to) screen. Conclusion: The participants of this study acknowledged that their decision to (not to) screen was greatly influenced by some external factors. Hence, it is recommended that more attention be directed towards motivating and encouraging women to partake in cervical cancer screening services to help reduce fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity in the world. It is a significant health concern in most developing countries, including Ghana. Even though there are several orthodox medications used for decades in treating malaria effectively, a substantial number of individuals in developing countries are resorting to the use of herbs in the treatment of malaria. The study aim at exploring the practices of herbal management of malaria among trading mothers in Shai Osudoku District, Accra. Methods: A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive design was adopted in analyzing the research problem. Purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty (20) participants to partake in a face-face interview, guided by a semi-structured interview guide. The data were transcribed verbatim and analysed by adopting content analysis. Results: Two significant themes and seven subthemes were generated following the analysis of this study. The main themes were; preferences for herbal malaria treatment and the practices and effectiveness of herbal medicine used for malaria treatment. It was worth noting that the women's cultural beliefs did not influence their preference for herbal malaria treatment. The main challenge associated with the herbal malaria treatment was inappropriate dosage specification. Conclusion: This study discovered that several factors influenced participants' preferences for malaria treatment. Participants further listed some traditional ways of treating malaria which implies that there is herbal malaria practice. However, literature in this area is inadequate, and most herbs lack specifications for use. It is therefore recommended that future research focus on scientific herbal malaria treatment. Also, regulating bodies should ensure that quality herbal drugs are sold for consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several intestinal parasites of baboons are of zoonotic importance, especially where there is considerable interaction between the baboons and humans. The identification of gastrointestinal parasite infections of baboons (Papio anubis) was undertaken at the Shai Hills Reserve Resort, Ghana. A total of 51 faecal samples were collected randomly from individual baboons (51) and examined for cysts, eggs, and larvae of parasites of medical importance, using the direct saline smear and formol-ether concentration technique. The baboons were in 7 troops and were grouped into juveniles, subadults, and adults. The survey showed that 92% of the baboon samples examined were infected with at least one or more parasite(s) of medical importance. Hookworm had the highest prevalence of 38.39% followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (22.32%), whilst Diphyllobotrium latum recorded the lowest prevalence of 0.89%. Adults had the highest prevalence of A. lumbricoides (35.42%). Hookworm (47.92%) occurred most in the juveniles. This is the first report of intestinal parasitic infection in baboons within the Shai Hills Reserve. The results showed a high level of multiparasitism in the nonhuman primates, thus the need for possible interventions to maintain ecosystem health and control the infections as they may be a potential source of transmission to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Dysmenorrhea has been the most common gynecological problem worldwide. Reports of dysmenorrhea are greatest among individuals in their late teens and 20s and usually declining with age. It has also been reported that dysmenorrhea affects more than 80% of women in the reproductive age. The study objective was to examine the predictors of dysmenorrhea, its effect, and coping mechanisms among adolescents in Shai Osudoku District, Ghana. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study in September and November 2017 in selected schools in Shai Osudoku District, Ghana. We employed self-administered questionnaire to obtain data from adolescents volunteered to participate in the study. We analyzed the data using the SPSS programme IBM version 20. We used the Pearson chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the association between exposure variables and the outcome variable. The odds ratio was reported to establish the risk of dysmenorrhea at a confidence interval of 95%, and statistical significance was assumed at p<0.05. Results. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 68.1% (95% CI, 65.0–72.0) with one-third recounting their pain as severe. The pain during menstruation negatively influences the daily physical activities (22.5%), school attendance (6.9%), concentration during classes' hours (27.9%), and academic performance (31.1%) of the respondents. Besides, adolescents who do not live with their parent experienced a 53.1% increase in odds of self-reporting dysmenorrhea (AOR, 1.53 (95% CI, 1.02–2.23)). Similarly, respondents who had irregular menstrual cycle experienced a 72.5% increase in odds of self-reporting dysmenorrhea (AOR, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.16–2.57)). Finally, a significant association between irregular menstrual cycle (p<0.01), not lived with their parent (p<0.04), and self-reported dysmenorrhea was found. Conclusion. This study establishes that dysmenorrhea is high among adolescents in Shai Osudoku District which negatively affects the daily activity of majority of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the study was to investigate health information seeking behavior as well as the barriers to health information seeking among rural dwellers in Ghana using Shai Osudoku District as a case study. The convenient and purposive sampling technique was used to sample 210 community members within Shai Osudoku District. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was employed to process the quantitative data. The data was processed into statistical tables and charts for interpretation and discussion. The outcome of the study revealed that the most common sources of health information seeking among rural community members in the district of investigation are posters, health care providers and families/friends, with radio being the most used platform. It was also revealed that those respondents with higher level of education are more likely to use the Internet and television in accessing health information (p = 0.001 and 0.000 respectively). Similarly, respondents with primary education or informal education were more likely to contact family members for health information (p = 0.001) The outcome of the study also shows that many rural communities in Ghana, particularly rural dwellers of Shai Osudoku District, face numerous challenges in accessing health information. Notable among them are language barrier, location of the villages and inaccessibility to emerging technologies such as mobile phones and television sets. We conclude that, policies for improving health information access and reducing barriers to health information seeking in rural communities should be designed and implemented by Ghana health service. Also, education on how to access health-related information with easily accessible sources either free or at low-priced could be a way to help people in rural settings in Ghana with limited health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to adapt the English language version of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) developed by Salkovskis et al. to the Polish language and to investigate its psychometric properties and factor structure in clinical and non-clinical samples. Method: A total of 296 individuals participated in the study: 172 in the clinical sample (46% females and 54% males; mean age: 57.29 ± 13.01 years) and 124 in the non-clinical sample (51% females and 49% males; mean age: 54.45 ± 13.63). They completed the Polish language version of an 18-item SHAI and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). To assess psychometric properties, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, item-total statistics, construct and convergent validity, an analysis of ROC curves was performed. Results: Both samples had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.91 and 0.92) and test-retest reliability (r=0.91 and r=0.94). Correlational analysis revealed a significant relationship of anxiety to SHAI total score and to each of the two SHAI subscales. Factor analysis revealed a two-factors solution, which accounted for 48% and 49% of the variance. A cut-off score of 20 was optimal for detecting a severe form of health anxiety in the clinical and non-clinical sample, providing the best balance between specificity and sensitivity. Discussion: Despite the widespread application of SHAI, a Polish language version has not yet been created. The psychometric properties of the scale confirmed a high reliability and accuracy of the proposed solutions. Conclusions: Our findings confirm that the SHAI-Polish version is a reliable and valid instrument for detecting health anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Influenza vaccination is recommended by the World Health Organization for high risk groups, yet few data exist on influenza disease burden in West Africa. Methods: We estimated medically attended influenza-associated illness rates among residents of Shai-Osudoku and Ningo Pram-Pram Districts (SONPD), Ghana. From May 2013 to April 2015, we conducted prospective surveillance for severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) in 17 health facilities. In 2015, we conducted a retrospective assessment at an additional 18 health facilities to capture all SONPD SARI and ILI patients during the study period. We applied positivity rates to those not tested to estimate total influenza cases. Results: Of 612 SARI patients tested, 58 (9%) were positive for influenza. The estimated incidence of influenza-associated SARI was 30 per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 13-84). Children aged 0 to 4 years had the highest influenza-associated SARI incidence (135 per 100,000 persons, 95% CI: 120-152) and adults aged 25 to 44 years had the lowest (3 per 100,000 persons, 95% CI: 1-7) (p < 0.01). Of 2,322 ILI patients tested, 407 (18%) were positive for influenza. The estimated incidence of influenza-associated ILI was 844 per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 501-1,099). The highest incidence of influenza-associated ILI was also among children aged 0 to 4 years (3,448 per 100,000 persons, 95% CI: 3,727 - 3,898). The predominant circulating subtype during May to December 2013 and January to April 2015 was influenza A(H3N2) virus, and during 2014 influenza B virus was the predominant circulating type. Conclusions: Influenza accounted for 9% and 18% of medically attended SARI and ILI, respectively. Rates were substantive among young children and suggest the potential value of exploring the benefits of influenza vaccination in Ghana, particularly in this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Six different mushroom species (Termitomyces, Ganoderma, Amauroderma, Mycena, Marasmus and an unknown) were studied to ascertain their phytochemical and antioxidant properties and determine their TLC analysis of methanolic extracts. Materials and Methods:The DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) model was employed to determine free radical scavenging activity of the methanolic extracts of the mushrooms, aluminum chloride calorimetric method for flavonoid, Thin layer chromatography (TLC) for retention factor and atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) for macro and micronutrients. Results: Phytochemical analyses of the methanolic extract revealed the presence of antioxidants, phenols and flavonoids. The antioxidant values (IC50 (µg/ml)) ranged from 1.56 x 10-4 to 21.07 x10-4. Total phenol content ranged between 2.54 and 17.53 mg/g GAE with a mean of about 11.27 mg/g GAE. Total flavonoid content also ranged from 5.46 to 23.75 mg/g RUE with a mean of 13.41 mg/g RUE. Micronutrients such as cadmium, iron, lead, manganese and zinc were determined. Also macronutrients determined included, calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium. Sodium ranged the highest with values ranging 6966.67 mg/L to 9600.00 mg/L followed by iron ranging from 1613.67 to 3040.00 mg/L. Percentage crude protein ranged between 11.09 % and 28.24 %. Alkaloid was present in only Mycena sp and Ganoderma sp with a band each of Rf value of 0.49. A total of 18 different bands were recorded for flavonoid with Rf values that ranged between 0.20 and 0.97, respectively. Conclusion: The antioxidant potential of the methanolic extracts of the mushroom samples in this study recorded higher values. This indicates that mushrooms have high antioxidant properties and rationalizes further investigation in the potential discovery of new natural bioactive principles from these mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous efforts have been invested in previous algorithms to expose and enhance blood vessel (BV) visibility derived from clinical coronary angiography (CAG) procedures, such as noise reduction, segmentation, and background subtraction. Yet, the visibility of the BVs and their luminal content, particularly the small ones, is still limited. We propose a novel visibility enhancement algorithm, whose main body is inspired by a line completion mechanism of the visual system, i.e., lateral interactions. It facilitates the enhancement of the BVs along with simultaneous noise reduction. In addition, we developed a specific algorithm component that allows better visibility of small BVs and the various CAG tools utilized during the procedure. It is accomplished by enhancing the BVs' fine resolutions, located in the coarse resolutions at the BV zone. The visibility of the most significant clinical features during the CAG procedure was evaluated and qualitatively compared by the consensus of two cardiologists (MM and JE) to the algorithm's results. These included the visibility of the whole frame, the coronary BVs as well as the small ones, the main obstructive lesions within the BVs, and the various angiography interventional tools utilized during the procedure. The algorithm succeeded in producing better visibility of all these features, even under low-contrast or low-radiation conditions. Despite its major advantages, the algorithm also caused the appearance of disturbing vertebral and bony artifacts, which could somewhat lower diagnostic accuracy. Yet, viewing the processed images from multiple angles and not just from a single one and evaluating the cine mode usually overcomes this drawback. Thus, our novel algorithm potentially leads to a better clinical diagnosis, improved procedural capabilities, and a successful outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic design is a process of mathematical optimization of a desired objective (beam formation, mode conversion, etc.) subject to the constraint of Maxwell's equations. Finding the optimal design is challenging: Generically, these problems are highly nonconvex and finding global optima is NP hard. Here, we show that the associated optimization problem can be transformed to a sparse-matrix, quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP). Sparse QCQPs can be tackled with convex optimization techniques (such as semidefinite programming) that have thrived for identifying global bounds and high-performance designs in many areas of science and engineering but seemed inapplicable to the design problems of wave physics. We apply our formulation to prototypical photonic design problems, showing the possibility to compute fundamental limits for large-area metasurfaces, as well as the identification of designs approaching global optimality. Our approach appears directly extensible to any design problem whose governing dynamics are bilinear differential equations, as arise in structural optimization, fluid dynamics, and quantum control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Gephyrocapsa huxleyi is a prevalent, bloom‐forming phytoplankton species in the oceans. It exhibits a complex haplodiplontic life cycle, featuring a diploid‐calcified phase, a haploid phase and a third ‘decoupled’ phase produced during viral infection. Decoupled cells display a haploid‐like phenotype, but are diploid. Here, we investigated the fate of decoupled cells during culture observations and we compared the transcriptome profiles and the cellular ultrastructure of the three life cycle cell types. We found that decoupled cells can revert to the calcified form in the absence of viral pressure, revealing the ability of G. huxleyi to modulate cell differentiation as a function of external conditions. Ultrastructural analyses showed distinct nuclear organization with variations in chromatin volume. Transcriptomic analyses revealed gene expression patterns specific to each life phase. These included multiple regulatory functions in chromatin remodeling, broader epigenetic mechanisms and life cycling, likely contributing to cell differentiation. Finally, analyses of available host–virus transcriptomes support life cycle transition during viral infection. This study provides cellular and molecular foundations for nuclear remodeling and cell differentiation in coccolithophores and the identification of gene markers for studying coccolithophore life cycles in natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CRISPR is widely used to silence genes by inducing mutations expected to nullify their expression. While numerous computational tools have been developed to design single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) with high cutting efficiency and minimal off-target effects, only a few tools focus specifically on predicting gene knockouts following CRISPR. These tools consider factors like conservation, amino acid composition, and frameshift likelihood. However, they neglect the impact of CRISPR on gene expression, which can dramatically affect the success of CRISPR-induced gene silencing attempts. Furthermore, information regarding gene expression can be useful even when the objective is not to silence a gene. Therefore, a tool that considers gene expression when predicting CRISPR outcomes is lacking. Results: We developed EXPosition, the first computational tool that combines models predicting gene knockouts after CRISPR with models that forecast gene expression, offering more accurate predictions of gene knockout outcomes. EXPosition leverages deep-learning models to predict key steps in gene expression: transcription, splicing, and translation initiation. We showed our tool performs better at predicting gene knockout than existing tools across 6 datasets, 4 cell types and ~207k sgRNAs. We also validated our gene expression models using the ClinVar dataset by showing enrichment of pathogenic mutations in high-scoring mutations according to our models. Conclusions: We believe EXPosition will enhance both the efficiency and accuracy of genome editing projects, by directly predicting CRISPR's effect on various aspects of gene expression. EXPosition is available at http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tamirtul/EXPosition. The source code is available at https://github.com/shaicoh3n/EXPosition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Olecranon bursitis (OB) involves fluid accumulation in the bursa, with common causes being trauma and preexisting conditions. Its incidence is difficult to quantify, and risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and male gender are frequently noted. Hyperlipidemia has been linked to musculoskeletal disorders, but its role as a risk factor for OB remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the association between OB and hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and statin use. Methods: A retrospective cohort study analyzed a large-scale database (2005–2020), ultimately including 10,301 patients with olecranon bursitis and 44,608 controls after applying exclusion criteria. Participants were aged 18–90 years, with BMI between 10 and 55. Key variables such as smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, statin use, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) were analyzed. Logistic regression models were applied with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for risk factors, and p-values were adjusted using the Benjamini–Hochberg method. Results: OB was significantly associated with male gender (OR: 1.406; p < 0.0001), hyperlipidemia (OR: 1.239; p < 0.0001), statin use (OR: 1.117; p = 0.0035), and smoking (OR: 1.068; p = 0.0094). Age and BMI were significant continuous variables influencing OB risk, particularly in older patients and those with elevated BMI. CVDs and diabetes were not significantly linked to OB. Hyperlipidemia increased OB risk, especially in males and individuals with higher BMI. Conclusions: Male gender, hyperlipidemia, and smoking are key risk factors for OB, with hyperlipidemia posing a notable risk in older individuals and those with higher BMI. Statin use did not significantly alter OB risk in hyperlipidemic patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms behind these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Little is known about the advantages of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) when evaluating the fetal corpus callosum (CC), a sensitive indicator for normal brain development. This study evaluates the contribution of DTI compared to T2-weighted imaging to assess fetal CC biometry. Methods: Data from the fetal MRI exams of singleton pregnancies between July 2017 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Mid-sagittal sections were used to measure the CC biometry, and inter- and intra-observer agreements were assessed using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), targeting an ICC above 0.85. Results: The results from 100 patients (mean gestational age, 32.24 weeks) indicated excellent inter-observer reliability for DTI (ICC = 0.904, 95% CI = 0.815–0.952) and moderate agreement for T2-weighted imaging (ICC = 0.719, 95% CI = 0.556–0.842). Intra-observer assessments showed excellent reliability for both DTI and T2-weighted imaging (ICC = 0.967, 95% CI = 0.933–0.984 and ICC = 0.942, 95% CI = 0.884–0.971, respectively). However, a comparison between DTI and T2-weighted images for CC biometry showed poor agreement (ICC = 0.290, 95% CI = 0.071–0.476). Conclusions: In conclusion, the study highlights a lack of agreement between DTI and T2-weighted imaging in fetal CC biometry, suggesting the need for further research to understand this discrepancy and the role of DTI in fetal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease that affects almost half the population at some point in their lives, causing pain and decreased functional capacity. New conservative treatment modalities are being proposed to provide symptomatic relief and delay surgical intervention. This study aimed at evaluating the safety of the novel liposomal boundary lubricant, injected intra-articularly in patients with moderate knee OA. Additionally, the effect on the functionality and life quality was assessed. Methods: Eighteen of the twenty screened subjects met inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. After receiving a single IA injection of AqueousJoint, patients were prospectively evaluated at baseline and at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Short Form Health Survey (SF12) and range of motion were also recorded. Results: The final analysis was conducted on 18 subjects. No adverse events related to the investigational product were observed in the study. No serious adverse events were observed at all. A significant decrease in pain was demonstrated at all time points vs. baseline (Friedman X2 = 35.08, p < 0.001). Significant improvement was demonstrated in KOOS pain, symptoms, sports, and ADL subscales (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Despite a relatively small sample, it was demonstrated that single IA AqueousJoint injection is a safe procedure, resulting in significant pain reduction, higher ADL score, and higher KOOS sport scores. The effects lasted up to 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider type IIB string theory with N D3 branes and various configurations of sevenbranes, such that the string coupling gs is fixed to a constant finite value. These are the simplest realizations of F-theory, and are holographically dual to rank N Argyres-Douglas conformal field theories (CFTs) with SU(2) and SU(3) flavor groups, and Minahan-Nemeschansky CFTs with E6, E7 and E8 flavor groups. We use the Seiberg-Witten curves of these theories to compute the mass deformed sphere free energy F (m) at large N in terms of novel matrix models with non-polynomial potentials. We show how F (m) can be used along with the analytic bootstrap to fix the large N expansion of flavor multiplet correlators in these CFTs, which are dual to scattering of gluons on AdS5 × S3, and in the flat space limit determine the effective theory of sevenbranes in F-theory. As a first step in this program, we use the matrix models to compute the log N term in F (m) and thereby fix the logarithmic threshold in the AdS5 × S3 holographic correlator, which matches the flat space prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed‐methods study evaluates the efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI)‐assisted reviewer selection in academic publishing across diverse disciplines. Twenty journal editors assessed AI‐generated reviewer recommendations for a manuscript. The AI system achieved a 42% overlap with editors' selections and demonstrated a significant improvement in time efficiency, reducing selection time by 73%. Editors found that 37% of AI‐suggested reviewers who were not part of their initial selection were indeed suitable. The system's performance varied across disciplines, with higher accuracy in STEM fields (Cohen's d = 0.68). Qualitative feedback revealed an appreciation for the AI's ability to identify lesser‐known experts but concerns about its grasp of interdisciplinary work. Ethical considerations, including potential algorithmic bias and privacy issues, were highlighted. The study concludes that while AI shows promise in enhancing reviewer selection efficiency and broadening the reviewer pool, it requires human oversight to address limitations in understanding nuanced disciplinary contexts. Future research should focus on larger‐scale longitudinal studies and developing ethical frameworks for AI integration in peer‐review processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian autophagy is a highly regulated and conserved cellular homeostatic process. Its existence allows the degradation of self‐components to mediate cell survival in different stress conditions. Autophagy is involved in the regulation of cellular metabolic needs, protecting the cell or tissue from starvation through the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic materials and organelles to basic molecular building blocks. It also plays a critical role in eliminating damaged or harmful proteins, organelles, and intracellular pathogens. Thus, a deterioration of the process may result in pathological conditions, such as aging‐associated disorders and cancer. Understanding the crucial role of autophagy in maintaining the normal physiological function of cells, tissue, or organs has led to copious and expansive research regarding the regulation of this process. So far, most of the research has revolved around transcriptional and post‐translational regulation. Here, we discuss the regulation of autophagy‐related (ATG) mRNA transcripts by RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs). This analysis focuses on how RBPs modulate autophagy in disease. A deeper understanding of the involvement of RBPs in autophagy can facilitate further research and treatment of a variety of human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of our study was to investigate the chemical composition and the biological activities of different parts of Securidaca longipedunculata from South Africa. Methodologies: The chemical analysis methods, including chromatography and spectroscopy, were employed to identify the diverse array of compounds present in the roots, leaves, and stems of S longipedunculata. Results: The proximate analysis revealed that the leaf extracts had higher (P <.05) crude protein, gross energy, and ether extract contents when compared to the stem bark and the root bark. A similar trend was observed with the mineral analysis where copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc were in abundance in the leaves. Concurrently, bioassays reveal significant biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, associated with these plant parts. The extracts demonstrated high lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity at the concentration of 250 μg/mL, with the highest percentage inhibition of 94% recorded in the dark leaf extract, followed by 92% and 73% at the concentrations of 125 and 62.5 μg/mL, respectively. The antimicrobial analysis revealed that the root bark extract was active against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis with the average minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.67 mg/mL (dark type) and 0.63 mg/mL (light type). Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the medicinal potential of S longipedunculata and underscore the importance of understanding its chemical makeup in explaining its therapeutic effects. This research provides valuable insights into the pharmacological properties of S longipedunculata, offering a foundation for further exploration in drug development and natural product discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mason Type 3 radial-head fractures are typically treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or radial-head arthroplasty (RHA). Prosthetic options include traditional monobloc implants and newer modular implants designed to match patient anatomy. While short- and medium-term outcomes of metallic RHA are generally favorable, this study aims to compare the long-term outcomes of patients treated with monobloc versus modular implants. Methods: The medical records of all the patients who underwent RHA at a level I trauma center between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who were available for follow-up were invited for reassessment, which included physical examination, questionnaires for the assessment of elbow pain and function, and follow-up radiographs. Results: Out of 35 patients who had RHA, 13 (37%) had a monobloc prosthesis and 22 (63%) had a modular prosthesis. Out of the patients that could be traced, 4 patients from the monobloc group and 10 patients from the modular group agreed to participate in the study. The mean follow-up time was 15 years in the monobloc group and 12.4 years in the modular group. Patients in the modular group demonstrated superior functional outcomes compared to the monobloc group, with statistically significant improvements in MEPS and DASH scores and a non-significant trend towards better ASES scores and VAS scores. Physical examination revealed a decline in function in the operated arm for both groups, with statistically significant differences favoring the modular group in elbow flexion and extension. Radiographic analysis showed varying degrees of implant loosening, with the modular group exhibiting less loosening compared to the monobloc group. Mild degenerative changes and heterotopic ossification were also observed, predominantly in the modular group. Conclusions: The results suggest that modular implants offer superior functional outcomes compared to monobloc implants. The modular group showed statistically significant improvements in elbow flexion and extension. These findings indicate that modular implants may be a more favorable option for enhancing patient outcomes. Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to confirm these trends and to better understand the long-term benefits of modular implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs emerging from GRIN genes) are tetrameric receptors that form diverse channel compositions in neurons, typically consisting of two GluN1 subunits combined with two GluN2(A-D) subunits. During prenatal stages, the predominant channels are di-heteromers with two GluN1 and two GluN2B subunits due to the high abundance of GluN2B subunits. Postnatally, the expression of GluN2A subunits increases, giving rise to additional subtypes, including GluN2A-containing di-heteromers and tri-heteromers with GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B subunits. The latter emerge as the major receptor subtype at mature synapses in the hippocampus. Despite extensive research on purely di-heteromeric receptors containing two identical GRIN variants, the impact of a single variant on the function of other channel forms, notably tri-heteromers, is lagging. In this study, we systematically investigated the effects of two de novo GRIN2B variants (G689C and G689S) in pure, mixed di- and tri-heteromers. Our findings reveal that incorporating a single variant in mixed di-heteromers or tri-heteromers exerts a dominant negative effect on glutamate potency, although 'mixed' channels show improved potency compared to pure variant-containing di-heteromers. We show that a single variant within a receptor complex does not impair the response of all receptor subtypes to the positive allosteric modulator pregnenolone-sulfate (PS), whereas spermine completely fails to potentiate tri-heteromers containing GluN2A and -2B-subunits. We examined PS on primary cultured hippocampal neurons transfected with the variants, and observed a positive impact over current amplitudes and synaptic activity. Together, our study supports previous observations showing that mixed di-heteromers exhibit improved glutamate potency and extend these findings towards the exploration of the effect of Loss-of-Function variants over tri-heteromers. Notably, we provide an initial and crucial demonstration of the beneficial effects of GRIN2B-relevant potentiators on tri-heteromers. Our results underscore the significance of studying how different variants affect distinct receptor subtypes, as these effects cannot be inferred solely from observations made on pure di-heteromers. Overall, this study contributes to ongoing efforts to understand the pathophysiology of GRINopathies and provides insights into potential treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been revolutionizing the field of gene editing. Guide RNAs (gRNAs) enable Cas9 proteins to target specific genomic loci for editing. However, editing efficiency varies between gRNAs and so computational methods were developed to predict editing efficiency for any gRNA of interest. High-throughput datasets of Cas9 editing efficiencies were produced to train machine-learning models to predict editing efficiency. However, these high-throughput datasets have a low correlation with functional and endogenous datasets, which are too small to train accurate machine-learning models on. Results We developed DeepCRISTL, a deep-learning model to predict the editing efficiency in a specific cellular context. DeepCRISTL takes advantage of high-throughput datasets to learn general patterns of gRNA editing efficiency and then fine-tunes the model on functional or endogenous data to fit a specific cellular context. We tested two state-of-the-art models trained on high-throughput datasets for editing efficiency prediction, our newly improved DeepHF and CRISPRon, combined with various transfer-learning approaches. The combination of CRISPRon and fine-tuning all model weights was the overall best performer. DeepCRISTL outperformed state-of-the-art methods in predicting editing efficiency in a specific cellular context on functional and endogenous datasets. Using saliency maps, we identified and compared the important features learned by DeepCRISTL across cellular contexts. We believe DeepCRISTL will improve prediction performance in many other CRISPR/Cas9 editing contexts by leveraging transfer learning to utilize both high-throughput datasets and smaller and more biologically relevant datasets. Availability and implementation DeepCRISTL is available via https://github.com/OrensteinLab/DeepCRISTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycaprolactone (PCL) implants in large animals show great promise for tracheal transplantation. However, the longest survival time achieved to date is only about three weeks. To meet clinical application standards, it is essential to extend the survival time and ensure the complete integration and functionality of the implant. Our study investigates the use of three-dimensional (3D)-printed, biodegradable, PCL-based tracheal grafts for large-scale porcine tracheal transplantation, assessing the feasibility and early structural integrity crucial for long-term survival experiments. A biodegradable PCL tracheal graft was fabricated using a BIOX bioprinter and transplanted into large-scale porcine models. The grafts, measuring 20 × 20 × 1.5 mm, were implanted following a 2 cm circumferential resection of the porcine trachea. The experiment design was traditionally implanted in eight porcines to replace four-ring tracheal segments, only two of which survived more than three months. Data were collected on the graft construction and clinical outcomes. The 3D-printed biosynthetic grafts replicated the native organ with high fidelity. The implantations were successful, without immediate complications. At two weeks, bronchoscopy revealed significant granulation tissue around the anastomosis, which was managed with laser ablation. The presence of neocartilage, neoglands, and partial epithelialization near the anastomosis was verified in the final pathology findings. Our study demonstrates in situ regenerative tissue growth with intact cartilage following transplantation, marked by neotissue formation on the graft's exterior. The 90-day survival milestone was achieved due to innovative surgical strategies, reinforced with strap muscle attached to the distal trachea. Further improvements in graft design and granulation tissue management are essential to optimize outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pests and diseases are a major contributor to yield losses in sub-Saharan Africa, prompting smallholder farmers to seek cost-effective, accessible and ecologically friendly alternatives for crop protection. This study explored the management of pests and diseases affecting crops across eight selected villages in Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Methods: A total of 120 smallholder farmers were purposefully selected utilising the snowball technique. Information on the management of plant pests and diseases was collected through interviews and focus group discussions using semi-structured interview schedules. Ethnobotanical indices, including relative frequency of citation (RFC), use-value (UV) and informant consensus factor (Fic), were used to quantify and rank the plants used for crop protection in the study area. Results: Twenty-three plant species (16 naturalised exotics and seven indigenous plants) belonging to 16 families were used for managing pests (vertebrates and invertebrates) and diseases (fungal and bacterial related) affecting crops in the study area. The dominant (100%) crops cultivated by the participants were Allium cepa L., Mangifera indica L., Solanum lycopersicum L. and Zea mays L. The RFC value ranged from 0.08 to 0.83 and the three most popular plants for crop protection were Capsium annuum L. (0.83), A. cepa (0.63) and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. (0.43). In terms of the UV, the five most promising plants used as biocontrol were Tulbaghia violacea (0.13), A. cepa (0.12), C. annuum L. (0.09), Solanum campylacanthum Hochst. Ex A.Rich.(0.09) and Pinus pinaster (0.08). Based on the Fic, four categories were established and dominated by fungal diseases (0.64). Furthermore, T. violacea and A. cepa were the most often mentioned plants used against fungal conditions. Other categories cited were bacterial diseases (0.3), invertebrate pests (0.11) and vertebrate pests (0.14), an indication that smallholder farmers had limited agreement or common knowledge about the plants used for their management. The preparation methods included maceration (38%), decoction (38%) and burning (24%). Foliar application (67%) and soil drenching (33%) were used for administering plant extracts during the management of crop pests and diseases. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of botanicals and associated indigenous knowledge among smallholder farmers in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. It is pertinent to explore the valorisation of these botanicals by generating empirical data on their biological efficacies and phytochemical profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine supersymmetric localization with the numerical conformal bootstrap to bound the scaling dimension and OPE coefficient of the lowest-dimension unprotected operator in N = 4 SU(N) super-Yang-Mills theory for a wide range of N and Yang-Mills couplings gYM. We find that our bounds are approximately saturated by weak coupling results at small gYM. Furthermore, at large N our bounds interpolate between integrability results for the Konishi operator at small gYM and strong-coupling results, including the first few stringy corrections, for the lowest-dimension double-trace operator at large gYM. In particular, our scaling dimension bounds describe the level splitting between the single- and double-trace operators at intermediate coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laws of many countries grant politicians special protection from prosecution before national courts. The content of such laws is usually regulated by a compromise between two conflicting goals: On the one hand, the principle that everyone is equal before the law should be upheld. On the other hand, because politicians cannot fully dedicate themselves to their office when they are subject to legal proceedings, they should be protected more than regular citizens. What many seem to take for granted is that a trial of a senior politician, such as a prime minister or a president, does bad things to society. It deepens divisions between citizens and increases polarization in a way that is unhealthy for the democratic process. This Article seeks to challenge that intuition. Based on a series of comparative examples, the Article argues that prosecuting politicians improves public deliberation by getting people who would otherwise not engage in politics to take part in the political debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aberrant left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a very rare congenital heart defect. Its coexistence with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is extremely rare. The high pressures created by the left-to-right shunt in the pulmonary arteries can delay symptoms and create a real challenge in diagnosing ALCAPA. Missing this diagnosis can have severe results, including extensive ischemia and sudden death. Case presentation: We present a case of an infant born with a large PDA. Initially treated conservatively, however, due to congestive heart failure and lack of weight gain, she underwent surgical ligation of the PDA at the age of four and a half months. Following surgery, she developed pulmonary edema. Echocardiography revealed decreased ventricular function. ECG revealed ST elevations on lateral leads, and serum troponin was significantly increased. The patient underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which revealed signs of wall ischemia and decreased function of the left ventricle (LV) with unclear coronary anatomy. Diagnostic catheterization revealed an ALCAPA. She underwent surgical intervention, and the left coronary artery was re-implanted in the aortic sinus. Follow-up revealed slow improvement of cardiac function. Discussion and literature review: The coexistence of PDA and ALCAPA is a very rare occurrence. We found at least 10 reported cases in the literature. Delayed diagnosis might be detrimental. The prognosis of these patients is variable. Conclusion: An unusual post-surgical course following PDA repair requires a high index of suspicion and appropriate evaluation for ALCAPA, preferably with angiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze correlation functions of SU(k) × SU(2)F flavor currents in a family of three-dimensional N = 4 superconformal field theories, combining analytic bootstrap methods with input from supersymmetric localization. Via holographic duality, we extract gluon and graviton scattering amplitudes of M-theory on AdS4 × S7/ℤk which contains a ℂ2/ℤk orbifold singularity. From these results, we derive aspects of the effective description of M-theory on the orbifold singularity beyond its leading low energy limit. We also determine a threshold correction to the holographic correlator from the combined contribution of two-loop gluon and tree-level bulk graviton exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postpartum depressive symptoms constitute a common yet serious complication of pregnancy and childbirth, but research on its association with coparenting is scarce. Furthermore, although coparenting dynamics start forming prior to the child's birth, no research has explored dyadic prenatal coparenting dynamics as a predictor of postpartum depressive symptoms. The current study assessed how dyadic prenatal coparenting behaviors predicted postpartum depressive symptoms in first-time parents. We conducted a dyadic mixed-method longitudinal study of 107 expectant couples with data collected prenatally, and at 3, 6, and 24 months post-birth. The results indicated that prenatal coparenting dyadic synchrony predicted low levels of depressive symptoms among first-time fathers 3 and 6 months after the birth, and a prenatal coparenting dynamic of dyadic negative escalation predicted high levels of depressive symptoms among first-time mothers at 3 and 24 months postpartum. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute the AdS Veneziano amplitude for type IIB gluon scattering in AdS5 × S3 to all orders in α′ in a small curvature expansion. This is achieved by combining a dispersion relation in the dual 4d N = 2 SCFT with an ansatz for the amplitude as a worldsheet integral in terms of multiple polylogarithms. The first curvature correction is fully fixed in this way and satisfies consistency checks in the high energy limit, the low energy expansion as previously fixed using supersymmetric localisation, and for the energy of massive string operators, which we independently compute using a semiclassical expansion. We also combine localisation with this first curvature correction to fix the unprotected D4F4 correction to the amplitude at finite curvature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated correlation functions in N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(N) can be expressed in terms of the localised S4 partition function, ZN, deformed by a mass m. Two such cases are C N = Im τ 2 ∂ τ ∂ τ ¯ ∂ m 2 log Z N m = 0 and H N = ∂ m 4 log Z N m = 0 , which are modular invariant functions of the complex coupling τ. While C N was recently written in terms of a two-dimensional lattice sum for any N and τ, H N has only been evaluated up to order 1/N3 in a large-N expansion in terms of modular invariant functions with no known lattice sum realisation. Here we develop methods for evaluating H N to any desired order in 1/N and finite τ. We use this new data to constrain higher loop corrections to the stress tensor correlator, and give evidence for several intriguing relations between H N and C N to all orders in 1/N. We also give evidence that the coefficients of the 1/N expansion of H N can be written as lattice sums to all orders. Lastly, these large N and finite τ results are used to accurately estimate the integrated correlators at finite N and finite τ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: I present a database that contains information on multiple key traits for all 11,744 recognised species of squamates worldwide. The database encompasses key traits and a reasonably comprehensive picture of available public knowledge. I present comprehensive description of the sources and rationale leading to the assignment of each particular trait state for each species. I hope the dataset can serve the scientific community, promote research and understanding of the group, comparisons with other taxa, and assessment of conservation needs. Furthermore, gaps in our knowledge of squamate traits become readily apparent and will hopefully lead to further study and even better knowledge. Main types of variables contained: Morphological, ecological, life history, geographical and conservation‐related traits. Spatial location: Global. Time period: Late Holocene to recent. Major taxa and level of measurement: Squamata, species. Software format: xlsx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCC) are frequently detected in tumors and are increasingly recognized for their roles in chromosomal instability and associated genome evolution that leads to cancer recurrence. We previously reported that therapy stress promotes polyploidy, and that acid ceramidase plays a role in depolyploidization. In this study, we used an RNA-seq approach to gain a better understanding of the underlying transcriptomic changes that occur as cancer cells progress through polyploidization and depolyploidization. Our results revealed gene signatures that are associated with disease-free and/or overall survival in several cancers and identified the cell cycle inhibitor CDKN1A/p21 as the major hub in PGCC and early progeny. Increased expression of p21 in PGCC was limited to the cytoplasm. We previously demonstrated that the sphingolipid enzyme acid ceramidase is dispensable for polyploidization upon therapy stress but plays a crucial role in depolyploidization. The current study demonstrates that treatment of cells with ceramide is not sufficient for p53- independent induction of p21 and that knockdown of acid ceramidase, which hydrolyzes ceramide, does not interfere with upregulation of p21. In contrast, blocking the expression of p21 with UC2288 prevented the induction of acid ceramidase and inhibited both the formation of PGCC from parental cells as well as the generation of progeny from PGCC. Taken together, our data suggest that p21 functions upstream of acid ceramidase and plays an important role in polyploidization and depolyploidization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As advanced technology continues to evolve, incorporating robotics into surgical procedures has become imperative for precision and accuracy in preoperative planning. Nevertheless, the integration of three-dimensional (3D) imaging into these processes presents both financial considerations and potential patient safety concerns. This study aims to assess the accuracy of a novel 2D-to-3D knee reconstruction solution, RSIP XPlan.ai™ (RSIP Vision, Jerusalem, Israel), on preoperative total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patient anatomies. Methods: Accuracy was calculated by measuring the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between X-ray-based 3D bone models generated by the algorithm and corresponding CT bone segmentations (distances of each mesh vertex to the closest vertex in the second mesh). The RMSE was computed globally for each bone, locally for eight clinically relevant bony landmark regions, and along simulated bone cut contours. In addition, the accuracies of three anatomical axes were assessed by comparing angular deviations to inter- and intra-observer baseline values. Results: The global RMSE was 0.93 ± 0.25 mm for the femur and 0.88 ± 0.14 mm for the tibia. Local RMSE values for bony landmark regions were 0.51 ± 0.33 mm for the five femoral landmarks and 0.47 ± 0.17 mm for the three tibial landmarks. The RMSE along simulated cut contours was 0.75 ± 0.35 mm for the distal femur cut and 0.63 ± 0.27 mm for the proximal tibial cut. Anatomical axial average angular deviations were 1.89° for the trans epicondylar axis (with an inter- and intra-observer baseline of 1.43°), 1.78° for the posterior condylar axis (with a baseline of 1.71°), and 2.82° (with a baseline of 2.56°) for the medial–lateral transverse axis. Conclusions: The study findings demonstrate promising results regarding the accuracy of XPlan.ai™ in reconstructing 3D bone models from plain-film X-rays. The observed accuracy on real-world TKA patient anatomies in anatomically relevant regions, including bony landmarks, cut contours, and axes, suggests the potential utility of this method in various clinical scenarios. Further validation studies on larger cohorts are warranted to fully assess the reliability and generalizability of our results. Nonetheless, our findings lay the groundwork for potential advancements in future robotic arthroplasty technologies, with XPlan.ai™ offering a promising alternative to conventional CT scans in certain clinical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: FDG PET-CT scans are critical in detecting metastases during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer, particularly for potential liver involvement. The liver's proximity to the radiation field in distal esophageal cancer therapies raises the risk of radiation-induced liver damage. Therefore, greater FDG absorption in the liver does not always imply metastases; it could also signal radiation-induced damage, which is a concern for distal esophageal carcinoma therapies in the left hepatic lobe, potentially leading to overstaging. Accordingly, thorough monitoring of FDG activity in the liver is required to reliably distinguish between radiation effects and genuine distant metastases. If FDG activity is seen in the left or caudate liver lobes following CRT, additional diagnostic procedures are demanded to confirm or rule out distant metastases. Surgery, usually scheduled 6–8 weeks after CRT, should be followed by an FDG PET-CT scan to look for new interval metastases, as their existence may prohibit surgical intervention. In patients with esophageal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), subsequent restaging with F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) can reveal the presence of interval metastases, such as liver metastases, in approximately 10% of cases. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon in clinical practice to observe focal FDG uptake in the liver that is not associated with liver metastases but rather with radiation-induced liver injury (RILI), which can result in the overstaging of the disease. Liver radiation damage is also a concern during distal esophageal cancer radiotherapy due to its proximity to the left liver lobe, typically included in the radiation field. Post-CRT, if FDG activity appears in the left or caudate liver lobes, a thorough investigation is needed to confirm or rule out distant metastases. The increased FDG uptake in liver lobes post-CRT often presents a diagnostic dilemma. Distinguishing between radiation-induced liver disease and metastasis is vital for appropriate patient management, necessitating a combination of imaging techniques and an understanding of the factors influencing the radiation response. Diagnosis involves identifying new foci of hepatic FDG avidity on PET/CT scans. Geographic regions of hypoattenuation on CT and well-demarcated regions with specific enhancement patterns on contrast-enhanced CT scans and MRI are characteristic of radiation-induced liver disease (RILD). Lack of mass effect on all three modalities (CT, MRI, PET) indicates RILD. Resolution of abnormalities on subsequent examinations also helps in diagnosing RILD. Moreover, it can also help to rule out occult metastases, thereby excluding those patients from further surgery who will not benefit from esophagectomy with curative intent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mancur Olson claimed that concentrated interests win against diffuse interests even in advanced democracies. Multinational companies, for example, work well in unison to suit their interests. The rest of the public is not motivated or informed enough to resist them. In contrast, other scholars argued that diffuse interests may be able to fight back, but only when certain conditions prevail. One of the conditions for the success of diffuse interests is the intervention of national and international courts. Courts are able to fix problems affecting diffuse interests. Courts can also indirectly empower diffuse interests by initiating deliberation to inform the public. This paper investigates the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union. It argues that these international courts help consumers, a diffuse interest group, succeed in their struggle against internet companies, a concentrated interest group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the use of magnetic resonance imaging of the fetal brain has evolved, the need to understand its efficiency in the biometry of the fetal brain has broadened. This study aimed to assess the level of agreement and correlation between the two cardinal imaging methods of fetal neuroimaging, ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), by measuring the corpus callosum (CC) and transverse cerebellar diameter (TCD) in terms of length and percentile. Measurements of CC and TCD length and percentile were documented over a 7-year span in a tertiary referral medical center. All US and MRI examinations were performed in the customary planes and subcategorized by valid reference charts. Exclusion and inclusion criteria were set before the collection and processing of the data. A total of 156 fetuses out of 483 were included in the study. A positive, strong correlation and agreement were found (r = 0.78; ICC = 0.76) between US and MRI in TCD measurements. For CC length measurement, a moderate correlation and moderate agreement (r = 0.51; ICC = 0.49) between US and MRI was observed. TCD and CC percentiles had lower levels of correlation and agreement compared with the length variables. Our study indicates good agreement between MRI and US in the assessment of TCD measurement as a part of antenatal neuroimaging. Furthermore, while the two techniques are not always compatible, they are complementary methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider gluons scattering in Type IIB string theory on AdS5 × S5/ℤ2 in the presence of D7 branes, which is dual to the flavor multiplet correlator in a certain 4d N = 2 USp(2N) gauge theory with SO(8) flavor symmetry and complexified coupling τ. We compute this holographic correlator in the large N and finite τ expansion using constraints from derivatives of the mass deformed sphere free energy, which we compute to all orders in 1/N and finite τ using supersymmetric localization. In particular, we fix the F4 higher derivative correction to gluon scattering on AdS at finite string coupling τs = τ in terms of Jacobi theta functions, which feature the expected relations between the SL(2, ℤ) duality and the SO(8) triality of the CFT, and match it to the known flat space term. We also use the flat space limit to compute D2F4 corrections of the correlator at finite τ in terms of a non-holomorphic Eisenstein series. At weak string coupling, we find that the AdS correlator takes a form which is remarkably similar to that of the flat space Veneziano amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the design, implementation, and use of a new system to investigate the behavior of small batteries that power sensor and wireless systems that consume relatively high power during infrequent short activity periods. The system enables simple, low-cost, long-term (days to weeks) monitoring of batteries under such loads. Data collected by this system revealed a major cause of failures in wildlife tracking tags, an effect called concentration polarization, which causes a transient increase in the internal resistance of the battery. The article describes the goals and the design of the system, failures that it revealed, mechanisms to mitigate the limitations of miniature batteries, as well as a methodology to optimize and validate the design of tags powered by miniature batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Meat intake in masticatory dysfunction people is commonly reduced because the relatively tough texture of meat can impair mastication. Pork meat batters were prepared by different levels of bromelain (0%, 0.5% w/w), κ‐carrageenan (0.5%, 1.0% w/w), and rice berry and mung bean ratios (0:0, 1:0, 0:1, 0.5:0.5). The experiment was designed to study the effect of infusion treatments and their interaction on the properties of pork meat batter. Lower cooking losses (2.33%–3.45%) was observed in the samples with 1.0% (w/w) κ‐carrageenan. Hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and gumminess of samples with bromelain were lower, and higher in samples containing 1.0% (w/w) κ‐carrageenan. Bromelain also resulted in decreasing storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) values compared to nonbromelain‐treated samples. Microstructure revealed that connective tissue and muscle fibres were disrupted in bromelain‐treated meats while incorporation of plant proteins led to better binding of meat particles. These results revealed that bromelain has a potential to produce a softer texture batter, while 1.0% (w/w) κ‐carrageenan and plant proteins have potential to improve textural properties and shape a product. This implies that the effects and interactions of infusion treatments offer the possibility to improve texture‐optimised product for masticatory dysfunction people, such as elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried urine spot (DUS) is a micro-sample collection technique, known for its advantages in handling, storage and shipping. It also uses only a small volume of urine, an essential consideration in working with small animals, or in acute medical situations. Alkyl-phosphonic acids are the direct and indicative metabolites of organophosphorus chemical warfare agents (OP-CWAs) and are present in blood and urine shortly after exposure. They are therefore crucially important for monitoring casualties in war and terror scenarios. We report here a new approach for the determination of the metabolites of five CWAs in urine using DUS. The method is based on a simple and rapid sample preparation, using only 50 µL of urine, spotted and dried on DBS paper, extracted using 300 µL methanol/water and analyzed via targeted LC-MS/MS. The detection limits for the five CWAs, sarin (GB), soman (GD), cyclosarin (GF), VX and RVX in human urine were from 0.5 to 5 ng/mL. Recoveries of (40–80%) were obtained in the range of 10–300 ng/mL, with a linear response (R2 > 0.964, R > 0.982). The method is highly stable, even with DUS samples stored up to 5 months at room temperature before analysis. It was implemented in a sarin in vivo exposure experiment on mice, applied for the time course determination of isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA, sarin hydrolysis product) in mice urine. IMPA was detectable even with samples drawn 60 h after the mice's (IN) exposure to 1 LD50 sarin. This method was also evaluated in a non-targeted screening for multiple potential CWA analogs (LC-Orbitrap HRMS analysis followed by automatic peak detection and library searches). The method developed here is applicable for rapid CWA casualty monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]