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Introduction Advances in diagnostic technologies have resulted in an increase in patients with synchronous cancers. We report robotic hemicolectomy and robotic partial nephrectomy via a posterior approach. Case presentation A 72‐year‐old woman presented with synchronous ascending colon and right kidney cancers. We performed simultaneous robotic right hemicolectomy and robotic right partial nephrectomy. The renal tumor was located in a posterior and mid‐lower pole of the kidney, we positioned the ports similar to the retroperitoneal approach and to gain a confronting approach to the tumor. Conclusion Considering preoperative evaluations and intraoperative conditions comprehensively, it is essential to flexibly adapt to the appropriate surgical position and port arrangement to perform the surgery with consideration for oncological principles.

Background and Objectives: The capability to cause invasive infection, multi-drug resistance, and health care-associated outbreaks of Candida auris have made it a pathogen of great concern. Estimating how many patients in our intensive care unit had C. auris colonization and what characteristics put patients at risk for having Candida spp. colonization were the primary goals of the study. Materials and Methods: Swabs from axilla and groin were collected from 229 patients getting admitted to the ICU. Samples were inoculated into CHROMagarTM Candida Plus medium. Colonies presumptively identified as C. auris by the presence of light blue with blue halo and were confirmed by VITEK-2. Results: Our study showed that only one patient was colonized with C. auris. A total of 47 (20.5%) patients were colonized with Candida spp., of which Candida parapislosis was the predominant organism. History of antibiotic use and cerebrovascular accident were independent risk factors in Candida colonization. Conclusion: Active screening for Candida auris in all patients is not required in our hospital as the prevalence was very low and not cost-effective. Therefore we plan to modify our screening strategy and use risk factors based surveillance strategy as it may serve as an ideal strategy.

Heavy metal (HM) pollution in agricultural soils represents a hidden danger to food security worldwide. In this paper, the spatio-temporal trends of heavy metals from eight countries and 50 soil samples from agricultural farmland were evaluated through a combination of field surveys and meta-analysis to provide a comprehensive report on heavy metal pollution. The soil samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) (Perkin Elmer Nixon 300Q). The contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI), and diagnostic tests on the extracted data were calculated. The results of the CF in the soils indicate extreme contamination for Cr, suggesting ecotoxicological effects, while the PLI values range from baseline to moderate pollution for Cd, Hg, Cu, Zn, and Ni, except for Cr, which shows very high pollution, suggesting that the soils have undergone some form of deterioration. The meta-analysis results of the 50 reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2023 showed increasing trends for all the HMs. The weighted mean values of Cd, Cr, Hg, Cu, Zn, As, and Ni were in the range of 0.0-222.7, 0.08-289.2, 0.03-193, 2.94-198.1, 0.0-771.1, 0.0-231, and 1.71-99.75.6 mg/kg, respectively. The mean values of Cd, Hg, Zn and As exceeded two to three times the values of China National Environmental Monitoring Centre (CNEMC) European Union's most cited guideline (MEF), and the rock crust guideline. The results of the correlation matrix heatmap revealed a highly positive correlation between Cr and Ni (R2 = 0.66), suggesting that these elements have the same source and are likely prevalent in agricultural soils. The spatial origin of the publications reveals that 82% of the studies were from China followed by South Africa and Italy accounting for 4% respectively while Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, and Turkey account for 2% each. The findings of this study have important implications for environmental regulation on agricultural food protection from heavy metal pollution. Unlike previous meta-analysis studies which often adopt a “silos” method, this study highlights a nexus approach that integrates both meta-analysis and experimental studies which could establish a more comprehensive understanding of heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils.

Water-related issues such as scarcity and pollution have become increasingly pressing in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, highlighting the need for an effective environmental education (EE) programme. The relationship between EE and water pollution prevention and conservation in Nigeria remains an open question. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the role of EE in water pollution prevention and conservation in Nigeria. A simple random sampling was used to select 766 respondents from the southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Results show a high level of awareness of water pollution and conservation strategies. However, people's attitude towards preventing water pollution and conservation was poor. Age does not significantly (at p < 0.05) affect awareness and attitude towards water pollution prevention and conservation. However, the level of education significantly (at p < 0.05) influences the level of awareness and attitude of people towards water pollution prevention and conservation. EE increases awareness and attitude towards water pollution prevention and conservation. Therefore, the Federal Ministries of Water Resources and Education should endeavour to make EE a compulsory programme in the school curriculum across all levels of education. HIGHLIGHTS The level of awareness of water pollution prevention and conservation was very high.; Attitude towards water pollution prevention and water conservation was very poor.; Environmental education increases awareness and promotes a positive attitude towards water conservation.; Age of respondents affects the level of awareness or attitude towards water pollution prevention and conservation.;

Introduction Reducing neonatal deaths in premature infants in low- and middle-income countries is key to reducing global neonatal mortality. International neonatal networks, along with patient registries of premature infants, have contributed to improving the quality of neonatal care; however, the involvement of low-to-middle-income countries was limited. This project aims to form an international collaboration among neonatal networks in Asia (AsianNeo), including low-, middle- and high-income countries (or regions). Specifically, it aims to determine outcomes in sick newborn infants, especially very low birth weight (VLBW) infants or very preterm infants, with a view to improving the quality of care for such infants.Methods and analysis Currently, AsianNeo comprises nine neonatal networks from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand. AsianNeo will undertake the following four studies: (1) institutional questionnaire surveys investigating neonatal intensive care unit resources and the clinical management of sick newborn infants, with a focus on VLBW infants (nine countries/regions); (2) a retrospective cohort study to describe and compare the outcomes of VLBW infants among Asian countries and regions (four countries/regions); (3) a prospective cohort study to develop the AsianNeo registry of VLBW infants (six countries/regions); and (4) implementation and evaluation of educational and quality improvement projects in AsianNeo countries and regions (nine countries/regions).Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan (reference number 2020–244, 2022–156). The study findings will be disseminated through educational programmes, quality improvement activities, conference presentations and medical journal publications.

Background/Objectives: Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder traditionally diagnosed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria in 1998. Recently, Hermann et al. proposed updated diagnostic criteria incorporating advanced biomarkers to enhance early detection of sCJD. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of Hermann’s criteria compared with those of the WHO criteria in a large cohort of patients suspected of prion disease in Japan. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the new criteria using data of 2004 patients with suspected prion disease registered with the Japanese Prion Disease Surveillance (JPDS) between January 2009 and May 2023. Patients with genetic or acquired prion diseases or incomplete data necessary for the diagnostic criteria were excluded, resulting in 786 eligible cases. The sensitivity and specificity of the WHO and Hermann’s criteria were calculated by comparing diagnoses with those made by the JPDS Committee. Results: Of the 786 included cases, Hermann’s criteria helped identify 572 probable cases compared with 448 by the WHO criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of the WHO criteria were 96.4% and 96.6%, respectively. Hermann’s criteria demonstrated a sensitivity of 99.3% and a specificity of 95.2%, indicating higher sensitivity but slightly lower specificity. Fifty-five cases were classified as “definite” by both criteria. Conclusions: The findings suggest that Hermann’s criteria could offer improved sensitivity for detecting sCJD, potentially reducing diagnostic oversight. However, caution is advised in clinical practice to avoid misdiagnosis, particularly in treatable neurological diseases, by ensuring thorough exclusion of other potential conditions.

In the field of studies on the “Neural Synapses” in the nervous system, its experts manually (or pseudo-automatically) detect the bio-molecule clusters (e.g., of proteins) in many TIRF (Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence) images of a fluorescent cell and analyze their static/dynamic behaviors. This paper proposes a novel method for the automatic detection of the bio-molecule clusters in a TIRF image of a fluorescent cell and conducts several experiments on its performance, e.g., mAP @ IoU (mean Average Precision @ Intersection over Union) and F1-score @ IoU, as an objective/quantitative means of evaluation. As a result, the best of the proposed methods achieved 0.695 as its mAP @ IoU = 0.5 and 0.250 as its F1-score @ IoU = 0.5 and would have to be improved, especially with respect to its recall @ IoU. But, the proposed method could automatically detect bio-molecule clusters that are not only circular and not always uniform in size, and it can output various histograms and heatmaps for novel deeper analyses of the automatically detected bio-molecule clusters, while the particles detected by the Mosaic Particle Tracker 2D/3D, which is one of the most conventional methods for experts, can be only circular and uniform in size. In addition, this paper defines and validates a novel similarity of automatically detected bio-molecule clusters between fluorescent cells, i.e., SimMolCC, and also shows some examples of SimMolCC-based applications.

This study examined the effect of moonlighting on organizational performance in the Nigerian banking sector. It adopted a survey design that allowed the researcher to collect only cross-sectional data from the respondents. The questionnaire was administered to the staff of five (5) different banks in Lagos and Ogun states to seek their opinions. The responses were analyzed using regression analysis. The results revealed that, most of the respondents had heard and experienced moonlighting at various points of their career in the banking sector and that moonlighting negatively impacts firm performance in terms of employees’ productivity, profitability, and dividend payment. The study recommends the need for policies to be put in place. Terms of policies must be incorporated in the employment contract for employees to know the consequences of breaching the contract. Finally, disciplinary action should be taken on the affected staff to serve as deterrent to others.

Background and Objectives: Early diagnosis of candidemia is of vital importance in reducing mortality and morbidity. The main objective of the study was to determine the TTP (Time to Positivity) of different species of Candida causing bloodstream infection and to see whether TTP can help differentiate Candida glabrata which is frequently fluconazole resistant from Fluconazole sensitive Candida. Materials and Methods: TTP (Time to positivity) and AAT (Appropriate Antifungal therapy) were noted for Blood cultures becoming positive for Candida. Presence of Risk factors for candidemia like prolonged ICU stay, neutropenia, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), use of steroids , broad spectrum antibiotics, use of Central Venous Catheter, Foleys catheter were also analyzed. Results: The most frequent isolates were Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans. The median TTP for all Candida isolates in our study was 34 hours. The diagnostic sensitivity of TTP for detecting C. glabrata and C. tropicalis in patients with candidemia was 88% and 85% respectively. TTP showed that there was no difference in survival between TTP 24hrs. Initiation of antifungal therapy 24hrs after onset of candidemia had no association with survival. Conclusion: Longer TTP maybe predictive of C. glabrata while shorter TTP may be predictive of C. tropicalis. In our study we found that fluconazole resistant Candida causing blood stream infection is quite unlikely if the TTP of the isolate is

Chromium nitride (CrN) exhibits interesting structural, electronic, and optical properties, making it a promising candidate for a wide range of advanced technological applications. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the structural, electronic, and optical characteristics of both CrN and chromium oxynitride thin films. The films were grown on Si (001) and fused silica substrates using a radiofrequency magnetron sputtering system. These thin films were produced under varying conditions by adjusting the flow rates of nitrogen and oxygen reactive gases to alter their stoichiometry. The effects of these growth parameters have been examined on their structural properties, charge transport behavior, and bandgap. As nitrogen and oxygen flow rates increased, the films demonstrated an increasing trend in resistivity and bandgap. Interestingly, the Hall coefficient showed a shift from negative to positive values based on the growth conditions, indicating a change in the majority carrier from electrons to holes. Notably, the bandgap varied from 1.36 eV to 3.56 eV showing the bandgap tunability due to film growth conditions, which has important implications for photovoltaic applications.

Climate change has the potential to influence plant development, physiology, and distribution. Arecanut (Areca catechu L.), with its long life span of 60–70 years, thrives in a tropical habitat remains exposed to various abiotic and biotic factors. It is pertinent to comprehend the adaptation strategies of this crop towards climate change over time. The Biomod2 ensemble platform for species distribution modeling was utilized to predict the potential impact of climate change on the adaptability of the crop. The extracted study region of India was used for prediction, and the final run of 6 models ensemble includes 894 occurrence points and 9 climate variables with 80%–20% of training and validation sets. The model's outputs had area under curve (AUC) values of 0.943 and true skills statistics (TSS) of 0.741, which are regarded as accurate. The research area was categorized into five groups: very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. The examination involved assessing the shift in each category from the present to two prospective scenarios (shared socio-economic pathways; SSP 2–4.5 and SSP 5–8.5) projected for the 2050s and 2070s. A shift in the climate suitability area from ‘very high’ and ‘high’ categories to ‘moderate’ or ‘very low’ categories was observed suggesting the need for adaptive strategies to sustain the current yield levels. Amongst the regions, Karnataka state, which at present has more than 50% area under cultivation, is highly vulnerable and more area is coming under ‘very low’ and ‘low’ categories from eastern side. Meanwhile, in north eastern part of the country a shift in high suitable region from northwest to southwest is observed. Overall, the model prediction suggests that some parts of west and south interior regions of the country warrant immediate consideration in order to adapt to future climate change, whereas some part of north east can be considered for future cultivation.

ABSTRACTGerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker disease with a Pro-to-Leu substitution at codon 105 in the prion protein gene (GSS-P105L) is a rare variant of human genetic prion disease. Herein, we report the case of a patient with GSS-P105L, who showed serial changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) on single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A 42-year-old woman, with an affected father presenting with similar symptoms, had a 1-year history of progressive gait disturbance, lower-limb spasticity, and psychiatric symptoms. Genetic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of GSS-P105L. Eleven months after disease onset, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral frontal lobe-dominant cerebral atrophy without hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences; meanwhile, SPECT revealed non-specific mild hypoperfusion. Follow-up MRI at 52 months after onset demonstrated progressive frontal lobe-dominant cerebral atrophy without hyperintensity on DWI, while SPECT revealed a marked decrease in rCBF in the bilateral right-dominant frontal lobe. Patients with GSS with a Pro-to-Leu substitution at codon 102 (GSS-P102L) have been reported to exhibit hyperintensity on DWI-MRI and a diffuse decrease in CBF with a mosaic-like pattern on SPECT, which is absent in patients with GSS-P105L, thereby possibly reflecting the differences in pathophysiology between GSS-P102L and GSS-P105L.

Abstract The carbon stock function of harvested wood products (HWPs) is attracting attention among climate change countermeasures. Among HWPs, particle board (PB) and fiberboard (FB) mainly use recycled materials. This study estimated carbon stocks of PB and FB and their annual changes over the past 70 years in Japan using three methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines: Tiers 1–3. Tier 1 uses first order decay (FOD), a 25-year half-life, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations database. Tier 2 uses FOD, a 25-year half-life, and Japan-specific statistics. Tier 3 uses a log-normal distribution for the decay function and a 38–63-year half-life of building PB/FB. Japan’s PB and FB carbon stocks have increased for the past 70 years. The latest carbon stock in early 2022 and the annual change in carbon stock in 2021 was 21.83 million t-C and 0.42 million t-C/year, respectively for Tier 3. Tier 3 has the highest estimation accuracy by using decay functions and half-lives that match the actual conditions of building PB and FB, whereas Tiers 1 and 2 were underestimates. Approximately 40% of the carbon stock is derived from waste wood, which extends its utilization.

Abstract Background Although a large amount of evidence has revealed that amyloid β (Aβ), especially Aβ oligomers, protofibrils, and pyroglutamated Aβs, participate primarily in the pathophysiological processes of Alzheimer’s disease, most clinical trials of anti-Aβ antibody therapy have never acquired successful efficacy in human clinical trials, partly because peripheral administration of antibody medications was unable to deliver sufficient amounts of the molecules to the brain. Recently, we developed polymeric nanomicelles capable of passing through the blood–brain barrier that function as chaperones to deliver larger amounts of heavy molecules to the brain. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of newly developed antibody 6H4 fragments specific to Aβ oligomers encapsulated in polymeric nanomicelles on the development of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in Alzheimer’s disease model mice at the age of emergence of early Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Results During the 10-week administration of 6H4 antibody fragments in polymeric nanomicelles, a significant reduction in the amounts of various toxic Aβ species, such as Aβ oligomers, toxic Aβ conformers, and pyroglutamated Aβs in the brain was observed. In addition, immunohistochemistry indicated inhibition of diameters of Aβ plaques, Aβ-antibody immunoreactive areas, and also plaque core formation. Behavioral analysis of the mice model revealed that the 6H4 fragments-polymeric nanomicelle group was significantly better at maintaining long-term spatial reference memory in the probe and platform tests of the water maze, thereby indicating inhibition of the pathophysiological process of Alzheimer’s disease. Conclusions The results indicated that the strategy of reducing toxic Aβ species in early dementia owing to Alzheimer’s disease by providing sufficient antibodies in the brain may modify Alzheimer’s disease progression.

Introduction: There is an increased population of elderly globally due to advancement of technology in health care. Elderly individuals are susceptible to various diseases, owing to deficits in nutrition or healthy lifestyle. Serum albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) are found to be sensitive to nutritional status as well as inflammation. This study is an attempt to analyze the prognostic value of CRP and serum albumin and analyze its usefulness as a prognostic marker in assessing morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. Methodology: One hundred patients above the age of 65 years and were admitted to the emergency care facilities of our tertiary care center were recruited for the study. Serum albumin and CRP estimation was done on the day of admission along with Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and was follow-up till discharge. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate relationship between the serum values and CCI scores. Results: It was observed that 83.3% (10/12) of deaths occurred in those with low serum albumin levels, and 91.6% (11/12) with high CRP levels. The hazard ratio shows a 6% increased probability of death with one unit increase in CRP, whereas a one unit increase in serum albumin value decrease the probability of death. Conclusion: The present study concludes that low serum albumin and high CRP levels at the time of admission in the elderly population are associated with high CCI scores, longer hospital stay, and increased risk of mortality, demanding their estimation in the elderly in emergency and acute care facilities.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is used to observe the electrical activity of the heart via electrodes on the body surface. Recently, an ECG with fewer electrodes, such as a bipolar ECG in which two electrodes are attached to the chest, has been employed as wearable devices. However, the effect of different geometrical factors and electrode-pair locations on the amplitude and waveform of ECG signals remains unclear. In this study, we computationally evaluated the effects of body morphology, heart size and orientation, and electrode misalignment on ECG signals for 48 scenarios using 35 bipolar electrode pairs (1680 waveforms) with a dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm. It was observed that the physique of the human body model predominantly affected the amplitude and waveform of the ECG signals. A multivariate analysis indicated that the heart–electrode distance and the solid angle of the heart from the electrode characterized the amplitude and waveform of the ECG signals, respectively. Furthermore, the electrode locations for less individual variability and less waveform distortion were close to the location of electrodes V2 and V3 in the standard 12-lead. These findings will facilitate the placement of ECG electrodes and interpretation of the measured ECG signals for wearable devices.

Background: The presence of New-onset Atrial Fibrillation (NOAF) during critical illness increases morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs, as well as the incidence of complications such as heart failure and thromboembolic disorders. We aimed to determine the incidence and the risk factors associated with NOAF in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Material and Methods: A nested case control study of patients admitted to ICU was conducted to determine the risk factors associated with NOAF. Occurrence of potential risk factors were noted once in eight hours. Frequency, percentage, and odds ratio were calculated. Multiple logistic regression was done to find the risk factors associated with NOAF. Results: We followed up 271 individuals of both genders, among whom 29 cases of new onset of AF were observed (10.7%). The risk of getting NOAF was higher for those who were on renal replacement therapy (OR: 7.9 (95% CI: 3.2-19.2)), suspected sepsis (OR: 4.2 (95% CI: 1.7-10.2)) and had hypokalemia (OR: 4 (95% CI: 1.2-12.9)). Conclusion: Prompt diagnosis and treatment of hypokalaemia and sepsis may significantly reduce the risk of NOAF in ICU. Other independent risk factors were suspected sepsis and renal replacement therapy.

Abstract A close causal relationship has been suggested to exist between cancer and periodontitis. We hypothesized that the immune surveillance system is impaired in patients with periodontitis, which contributes to cancer development and growth. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between immune surveillance mechanisms and periodontitis in cancer patients. The presence or absence of periodontitis was assessed and the peripheral blood (PB) concentrations of IL-6, immunosuppressive cytokines (VEGF, TGF-β1, and CCL22) and proportion of T regulatory cells (Treg, CD3 + CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 +) were measured. Subjects were classified into the following four groups: non-cancer patients without periodontitis (C − P −), non-cancer patients with periodontitis (C − P +), cancer patients without periodontitis (C + P −), and cancer patients with periodontitis (C + P +). The results of a multivariate analysis showed that the PB concentration of IL-6 was significantly higher in C + than in C- and higher in C + P + than in C + P −. The PB proportion of Treg was significantly higher in C + P + than in C + P −, C − P + , and C − P −. The results of this study suggested that the presence of periodontitis and cancer synergistically increased Treg in PB, which may be one of the underlying causes of immunosuppression and immune evasion in cancer. It was also suggested that the presence of periodontal disease and/or cancer also increases IL-6 in PB, which would be associated with cancer progression. These results suggest the possibility that the presence of periodontitis might synergistically contribute to cancer progression.

Businesses in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are considered crucial to the development of societies. Hence, development interventions from international agencies are introduced to these groups to achieve developmental objectives. However, the importance of such intervention to the overall performance of the enterprises is yet to be examined. The research assessed the contribution of the intervention to the production capacity of SMEs. It also examined the business volume and value of sales of their products and contribution to employment opportunities. Then, the factors influencing participation in the project by the SMEs were also analyzed. Survey data were collected through a structured questionnaire. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to select the business groups. Descriptive statistics and probit regression methods were utilized to analyze the data. The results show an improvement in the production capacity of the participating business groups. Relatively, the average production capacity of medium enterprises is higher compared to the small business groups. The volume and value of sales and employment opportunities created through the financial intervention increase the performance of SMEs in the aquaculture business sector. Education and membership in the association are also found to be significant factors (p < 0,05). The factors affect business group participation in the intervention.

Rotavirus diarrhea and Ascaris lumbricoides (Al) infection increase intestinal morbidity and were associated with altered immune responses that compromise the vaccine efficacy in children. The serum level of rotavirus specific IgA (RV-IgA) and cytokine profiles in A. lumbricoides (AI) infected preschool-aged Nigerian children were estimated following oral rotavirus vaccination. Nineteen of the 149 preschool-aged children (aged 6 to 60 months) with Ascaris lumbricoides infection paired with age and sex-matched helminth – free children were administered with oral rotavirus vaccine after intestinal helminth screening using stool sample concentration technique. Separated sera from 3 mL venous blood samples were collected and estimated for cytokines (IFN–γ, TNF–α, IL-4, IL-8 IL-6, IL-10) and RV-IgA before and three weeks after rotavirus vaccination using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. IFN–γ, IL-8, IL-4 were significantly lower at post-vaccination in Al-infected children compared with pre-vaccination. Serum IL-10 was significantly higher at post-vaccination in both Al-infected children and helminth-free controls, compared with pre-vaccination levels (p < 0.05). Pre-vaccination IL-8 and IL-6 were significantly higher in Ascaris lumbricoides–infected children, while the post-vaccination IL-8 was significantly higher in Ascaris lumbricoides–infected compared with control. At post-vaccination period, RV-IgA level was lower in Al-infected children and significantly higher in helminth – free control group compared to pre-vaccination RV-IgA level. Ascaris lumbricoides infection contributed to down-regulation of some cytokines and antibody responses to oral rotavirus vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder traditionally diagnosed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria in 1998. Recently, Hermann et al. proposed updated diagnostic criteria incorporating advanced biomarkers to enhance early detection of sCJD. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of Hermann's criteria compared with those of the WHO criteria in a large cohort of patients suspected of prion disease in Japan. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the new criteria using data of 2004 patients with suspected prion disease registered with the Japanese Prion Disease Surveillance (JPDS) between January 2009 and May 2023. Patients with genetic or acquired prion diseases or incomplete data necessary for the diagnostic criteria were excluded, resulting in 786 eligible cases. The sensitivity and specificity of the WHO and Hermann's criteria were calculated by comparing diagnoses with those made by the JPDS Committee. Results: Of the 786 included cases, Hermann's criteria helped identify 572 probable cases compared with 448 by the WHO criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of the WHO criteria were 96.4% and 96.6%, respectively. Hermann's criteria demonstrated a sensitivity of 99.3% and a specificity of 95.2%, indicating higher sensitivity but slightly lower specificity. Fifty-five cases were classified as "definite" by both criteria. Conclusions: The findings suggest that Hermann's criteria could offer improved sensitivity for detecting sCJD, potentially reducing diagnostic oversight. However, caution is advised in clinical practice to avoid misdiagnosis, particularly in treatable neurological diseases, by ensuring thorough exclusion of other potential conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the myriad challenges that threaten Nigeria's educational system is the declining learning outcomes of students across schools in Nigeria. Identifying and mitigating the challenges and deploying global innovative best practices into Nigeria's educational system may provide the needed solution. Therefore, the impact of climate change (CC) on teachers' efficiency, educational resources and students' learning optimization in Lagos State was examined. A mixed research method, involving quantitative and qualitative methods, was adopted for the study. CC learning optimizations (CCLO) questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Random sampling technique was used to select 480 respondents for the study. Frequency counts with percentages and a t-test statistical analysis were used to analyses the data. Result showed that CC effects like heat waves, high rainfall and flooding can threaten teachers' classroom efficiency, and learning resources and thus negatively influence students' learning outcomes. Excessive heat due to global warming could affect students' comprehension and retention. Extreme temperature and rainfall experienced in early school year can cause few years of schooling later in life. There was no significant difference in perception of impact of CC on student learning optimization based on gender (t-test). It was concluded that CC affects teachers' efficiency, learning resources, and students' learning optimization. Addressing the problem of CC can support teachers' efficiency and improve students' learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluates the effect of the global macro-economic business environment on the development of Small-Scale and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Secondary data on the global macro-economic index of SMEs businesses were selected over 35 years (1985–2019). The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis techniques. The study revealed the positive coefficient value of 354 836.6525 and 24 141 873.6 for the gross domestic product (GDP) on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and Budget variables. A negative coefficient value of –16347085.61 and –232997.0657 was obtained for the inflation rate and the exchange rate, respectively. The coefficient values show the level at which the development of SMEs businesses was affected through the global environmental factors. The study concluded that the global macro-economic business environment directly affects the development of SMEs businesses. The study recommends a policy strategy that will face out the global macro-economic constraints affecting SMEs businesses.

Background The AT(N) classification was proposed for categorising individuals according to biomarkers. However, AT(N) profiles may vary depending on the markers chosen and the target population.Methods We stratified 177 individuals who participated in the Japanese Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative by AT(N) classification according to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. We compared the frequency of AT(N) profiles between the classification using total tau and neurofilament light chain (NfL) as N markers (AT(N)tau and AT(N)NfL). Baseline characteristics, and longitudinal biological and clinical changes were examined between AT(N) profiles.Results We found that 9% of cognitively unimpaired subjects, 49% of subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and 61% of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia had the biological AD profile (ie, A+T+) in the cohort. The frequency of AT(N) profiles substantially differed between the AT(N)tau and AT(N)NfL classifications. When we used t-tau as the N marker (AT(N)tau), those who had T− were more frequently assigned to (N)−, whereas those who had T+were more frequently assigned to (N)+ than when we used NfL as the N marker (AT(N)NfL). During a follow-up, the AD continuum group progressed clinically and biologically compared with the normal biomarker group in both the AT(N)tau and AT(N)NfL classifications. More frequent conversion to dementia was observed in the non-AD pathological change group in the AT(N)tau classification, but not in the AT(N)NfL classification.Conclusions AT(N)tau and AT(N)NfL in CSF may capture different aspects of neurodegeneration and provide a different prognostic value. The AT(N) classification aids in understanding the AD continuum biology in various populations.

Nonvesicular extracellular RNA (nex-RNA) that are not packed in extracellular vesicles is detected outside the cell, but it is poorly understood. Here the authors report that nex-RNA is captured by a zinc finger protein and transported to the nucleus to enhance antimetastatic characters of the cell.