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Knowledge of oscillatory entrainment and its fundamental role in cognitive and behavioral processing has increasingly been applied to research in the field of reading and developmental dyslexia. Growing evidence indicates that oscillatory entrainment to theta frequency spoken language in the auditory domain, along with cross-frequency theta-gamma coupling, support phonological processing (i.e., cognitive encoding of linguistic knowledge gathered from speech) which is required for reading. This theory is called the temporal sampling framework (TSF) and can extend to developmental dyslexia, such that inadequate temporal sampling of speech-sounds in people with dyslexia results in poor theta oscillatory entrainment in the auditory domain, and thus a phonological processing deficit which hinders reading ability. We suggest that inadequate theta oscillations in the visual domain might account for the many magno-dorsal processing, oculomotor control and visual deficits seen in developmental dyslexia. We propose two possible models of a magno-dorsal visual correlate to the auditory TSF: (1) A direct correlate that involves “bottom-up” magnocellular oscillatory entrainment of the visual domain that occurs when magnocellular populations phase lock to theta frequency fixations during reading and (2) an inverse correlate whereby attending to text triggers “top-down” low gamma signals from higher-order visual processing areas, thereby organizing magnocellular populations to synchronize to a theta frequency to drive the temporal control of oculomotor movements and capturing of letter images at a higher frequency.

BACKGROUND:In the Caribbean region, a notable difference in HPV-prevalence and genotypes distribution between the islands is observed. Recently we found in Curaçao a low incidence of HPV16 and 18 in cervical cancer compared to the standard world population. We aimed to determine HPV-prevalence, HPV-genotype distribution and associated risk-factors in women from Curaçao. METHODS:5000 women aged 25-65 years were randomly selected from the national Population Register. HPV was detected by means of GP5+/6+PCR EIA and GP 5+/6+amplimers from HPV-positive samples were genotyped with a reverse hybridisation assay. We also collected personal data and data on risk-factors. RESULTS:1075 women were enrolled in the study. Overall HPV-prevalence was 19.7%. Most frequent genotypes were HPV16 (2.3%), 35 (2.1%) and 52 (1.8%). Twenty-seven women detected with abnormal cytology (i.e.≥ASC-US) were referred for biopsy. In women with normal cytology (n = 1048), HPV-prevalence was 17.9% and the most common high-risk HPV (hrHPV)-types were HPV35 (2.0%), 18 (1.8%), 16 (1.5%) and 52 (1.5%). The highest HPV-prevalence (32.8%) was found in the age-group: 25-34 (n = 247). HPV positive women started sex at a younger age (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS:HPV-prevalence in the overall population is high and HPV16 was the most common genotype followed by 35 and 18. In women with normal cytology HPV35 is the most common genotype followed by HPV18, 52 and 16. The high HPV-prevalence (32.8%) in women of 25-34 years argue for introduction of cervical cancer prevention strategies. HPV-type distribution found in Curaçao should be taken into account when considering the choice for prophylactic vaccination.

Mechanical weeding is an important tool in organic farming. However, the use of mechanical weeding in conventional agriculture is increasing, due to public demands to lower the use of pesticides and an increased number of pesticide-resistant weeds. Ground nesting birds are highly susceptible to farming operations, like mechanical weeding, which may destroy the nests and reduce the survival of chicks and incubating females. This problem has limited focus within agricultural engineering. However, when the number of machines increases, destruction of nests will have an impact on various species. It is therefore necessary to explore and develop new technology in order to avoid these negative ethical consequences. This paper presents a vision-based approach to automated ground nest detection. The algorithm is based on the fusion of visual saliency, which mimics human attention, and incremental background modeling, which enables foreground detection with moving cameras. The algorithm achieves a good detection rate, as it detects 28 of 30 nests at an average distance of 3.8 m, with a true positive rate of 0.75.

To assess the effect of a point of care (POC) device for testing lipids and HbA1c in addition to testing by community laboratory facilities (usual practice) on the completion of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessments in general practice.We conducted a pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial in 20 New Zealand general practices stratified by size and rurality and randomised to POC device plus usual practice or usual practice alone (controls). Patients aged 35-79 years were eligible if they met national guideline criteria for CVD risk assessment. Data on CVD risk assessments were aggregated using a web-based decision support programme common to each practice. Data entered into the on-line CVD risk assessment form could be saved pending blood test results. The primary outcome was the proportion of completed CVD risk assessments. Qualitative data on practice processes for CVD risk assessment and feasibility of POC testing were collected at the end of the study by interviews and questionnaire. The POC testing was supported by a comprehensive quality assurance programme.A CVD risk assessment entry was recorded for 7421 patients in 10 POC practices and 6217 patients in 10 control practices; 99.5% of CVD risk assessments had complete data in both groups (adjusted odds ratio 1.02 [95%CI 0.61-1.69]). There were major external influences that affected the trial: including a national performance target for CVD risk assessment and changes to CVD guidelines. All practices had invested in systems and dedicated staff time to identify and follow up patients to completion. However, the POC device was viewed by most as an additional tool rather than as an opportunity to review practice work flow and leverage the immediate test results for patient education and CVD risk management discussions. Shortly after commencement, the trial was halted due to a change in the HbA1c test assay performance. The trial restarted after the manufacturing issue was rectified but this affected the end use of the device.Performance incentives and external influences were more powerful modifiers of practice behaviours than the POC device in relation to CVD risk assessment completion. The promise of combining risk assessment, communication and management within one consultation was not realised. With shifts in policy focus, the utility of POC devices for patient engagement in CVD preventive care may be demonstrated if fully integrated into the clinical setting.Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000607774.

In agricultural mowing operations, thousands of animals are injured or killed each year, due to the increased working widths and speeds of agricultural machinery. Detection and recognition of wildlife within the agricultural fields is important to reduce wildlife mortality and, thereby, promote wildlife-friendly farming. The work presented in this paper contributes to the automated detection and classification of animals in thermal imaging. The methods and results are based on top-view images taken manually from a lift to motivate work towards unmanned aerial vehicle-based detection and recognition. Hot objects are detected based on a threshold dynamically adjusted to each frame. For the classification of animals, we propose a novel thermal feature extraction algorithm. For each detected object, a thermal signature is calculated using morphological operations. The thermal signature describes heat characteristics of objects and is partly invariant to translation, rotation, scale and posture. The discrete cosine transform (DCT) is used to parameterize the thermal signature and, thereby, calculate a feature vector, which is used for subsequent classification. Using a k-nearest-neighbor (kNN) classifier, animals are discriminated from non-animals with a balanced classification accuracy of 84.7% in an altitude range of 3–10 m and an accuracy of 75.2% for an altitude range of 10–20 m. To incorporate temporal information in the classification, a tracking algorithm is proposed. Using temporal information improves the balanced classification accuracy to 93.3% in an altitude range 3–10 of meters and 77.7% in an altitude range of 10–20 m

The publication presents the results of an analysis of the dynamics of changes in surface water quality in the Lower Volga basin based on the processing of statistical data on monitoring the degree of pollution over a long period. Significant all-season excesses of the maximum permissible norms for the concentration in water of a whole spectrum of background and anthropogenic pollutants were recorded. Deficiencies in the implementation of existing methods have been identified that make it possible to assess the dynamics of changes in the state of the ecosystem of the water basin and select the most significant parameters for constructing a mathematical model for choosing the most effective wastewater treatment technology.The aim of this work is to select and evaluate the input parameters of a mathematical model, the implementation of which will ensure the search for optimal technology and appropriate technical means of surface wastewater treatment. This research is based on a comprehensive assessment of a wide range of hydrochemical indicators of pollution of discharged wastewater in controlled sites using statistical methods for processing observational data. The most significant parameters have been identified that allow the formation of a conceptual model, and the degree of their influence on the selection of optimal means and methods of wastewater treatment has been determined.

During the last decades, high-efficiency farming equipment has been developed in the agricultural sector. This has also included efficiency improvement of moving techniques, which include increased working speeds and widths. Therefore, the risk of wild animals being accidentally injured or killed during routine farming operations has increased dramatically over the years. In particular, the nests of ground nesting bird species like grey partridge (Perdix perdix) or pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) are vulnerable to farming operations in their breeding habitat, whereas in mammals, the natural instinct of e.g., leverets of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and fawns of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) to lay low and still in the vegetation to avoid predators increase their risk of being killed or injured in farming operations. Various methods and approaches have been used to reduce wildlife mortality resulting from farming operations. However, since wildlife-friendly farming often results in lower efficiency, attempts have been made to develop automatic systems capable of detecting wild animals in the crop. Here we assessed the suitability of thermal imaging in combination with digital image processing to automatically detect a chicken (Gallus domesticus) and a rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a grassland habitat. Throughout the different test scenarios, our study animals were detected with a high precision, although the most dense grass cover reduced the detection rate. We conclude that thermal imaging and digital imaging processing may be an important tool for the improvement of wildlife-friendly farming practices in the future.

Since human-wildlife conflicts are increasing, the development of cost-effective methods for reducing damage or conflict levels is important in wildlife management. A wide range of devices to detect and deter animals causing conflict are used for this purpose, although their effectiveness is often highly variable, due to habituation to disruptive or disturbing stimuli. Automated recognition of behaviours could form a critical component of a system capable of altering the disruptive stimuli to avoid this. In this paper we present a novel method to automatically recognise goose behaviour based on vocalisations from flocks of free-living barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis). The geese were observed and recorded in a natural environment, using a shielded shotgun microphone. The classification used Support Vector Machines (SVMs), which had been trained with labeled data. Greenwood Function Cepstral Coefficients (GFCC) were used as features for the pattern recognition algorithm, as they can be adjusted to the hearing capabilities of different species. Three behaviours are classified based in this approach, and the method achieves a good recognition of foraging behaviour (86–97% sensitivity, 89–98% precision) and a reasonable recognition of flushing (79–86%, 66–80%) and landing behaviour(73–91%, 79–92%). The Support Vector Machine has proven to be a robust classifier for this kind of classification, as generality and non-linearcapabilities are important. We conclude that vocalisations can be used to automatically detect behaviour of conflict wildlife species, and as such, may be used as an integrated part of awildlife management system.

Optimal fertilization of clover-grass fields relies on knowledge of the clover and grass fractions. This study shows how knowledge can be obtained by analyzing images collected in fields automatically. A fully convolutional neural network was trained to create a pixel-wise classification of clover, grass, and weeds in red, green, and blue (RGB) images of clover-grass mixtures. The estimated clover fractions of the dry matter from the images were found to be highly correlated with the real clover fractions of the dry matter, making this a cheap and non-destructive way of monitoring clover-grass fields. The network was trained solely on simulated top-down images of clover-grass fields. This enables the network to distinguish clover, grass, and weed pixels in real images. The use of simulated images for training reduces the manual labor to a few hours, as compared to more than 3000 h when all the real images are annotated for training. The network was tested on images with varied clover/grass ratios and achieved an overall pixel classification accuracy of 83.4%, while estimating the dry matter clover fraction with a standard deviation of 7.8%.

In this paper, we present a multi-modal dataset for obstacle detection in agriculture. The dataset comprises approximately 2 h of raw sensor data from a tractor-mounted sensor system in a grass mowing scenario in Denmark, October 2016. Sensing modalities include stereo camera, thermal camera, web camera, 360 ∘ camera, LiDAR and radar, while precise localization is available from fused IMU and GNSS. Both static and moving obstacles are present, including humans, mannequin dolls, rocks, barrels, buildings, vehicles and vegetation. All obstacles have ground truth object labels and geographic coordinates.

BACKGROUND:Previously we have shown that Ag85B-TB10.4 is a highly efficient vaccine against tuberculosis when delivered in a Th1 inducing adjuvant based on cationic liposomes. Another Th1 inducing adjuvant, which has shown a very promising profile in both preclinical and clinical trials, is IC31. In this study, we examined the potential of Ag85B-TB10.4 delivered in the adjuvant IC31 for the ability to induce protection against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In addition, we examined if the antigen dose could influence the phenotype of the induced T cells. METHODS AND FINDINGS:We found that vaccination with the combination of Ag85B-TB10.4 and IC31 resulted in high numbers of polyfunctional CD4 T cells co-expressing IL-2, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. This correlated with protection against subsequent challenge with M.tb in the mouse TB model. Importantly, our results also showed that both the vaccine induced T cell response, and the protective efficacy, was highly dependent on the antigen dose. Thus, whereas antigen doses of 5 and 15 microg did not induce significant protection against M.tb, reducing the dose to 0.5 microg selectively increased the number of polyfunctional T cells and induced a strong protection against infection with M.tb. The influence of antigen dose was also observed in the guinea pig model of aerosol infection with M.tb. In this model a 2.5 fold increase in the antigen dose reduced the protection against infection with M.tb to the level observed in non-vaccinated animals. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Small changes in the antigen dose can greatly influence the induction of specific T cell subpopulations and the dose is therefore a crucial factor when testing new vaccines. However, the adjuvant IC31 can, with the optimal dose of Ag85B-TB10.4, induce strong protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This vaccine has now entered clinical trials.

Abstract Background The anti-HCV antibody response has not been well characterized during the early phase of HCV infection and little is known about its relationship to the clinical course during this period. Methods We analyzed serial anti-HCV antibodies longitudinally obtained from a prospective cohort of 65 patients with acute HCV infection by using a microparticle enzyme immunoassay AxSYM HCV 3.0 (Abbott Diagnostics) during the first 12 months from HCV acquisition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Spontaneous viral clearance (SVC) was defined as undetectable HCV RNA in serum, in the absence of treatment, for three consecutive HCV PCR tests within 12-months of follow-up. Results Baseline antibody values were similar among patient groups with self-limiting HCV evolution (n = 34) and persistent viremia (n = 31) [median (interquartile range) signal/cut-off ratio (s/co) 78.7 (60.7-93.8) vs. 93.9 (67.8-111.9), p = 0.26]. During 12-months follow-up, patients with acute spontaneous resolving HCV infection showed significantly lower serial antibody response in comparison to individuals progressing to chronic infection [median (interquartile range) s/co 62.7 (35.2-85.0) vs. 98.4 (70.4-127.4), p < 0.0001]. In addition, patients with self-limiting HCV evolution exhibited an expeditious, sharp decline of serial antibody values after SVC in comparison to those measured before SVC [median (interquartile range) s/co 56.0 (25.4-79.3) vs. 79.4 (66.3-103.0), p < 0.0001]. Conclusion Our findings indicate a rapid short-term decline of antibody values in patients with acute spontaneous resolving HCV infection.

When a liquid drop makes initial contact with any surface, an unbalanced surface tension force drives the contact line, causing spreading. For Newtonian liquids, either liquid inertia or viscosity dictates these early regimes of spreading, albeit with different power-law behaviors of the evolution of the dynamic spreading radius. In this work, we investigate the early regimes of spreading for yield-stress liquids. We conducted spreading experiments with hydrogels and blood with varying degrees of yield stress. We observe that for yield-stress liquids, the early regime of spreading is primarily dictated by their high shear rate viscosity. For yield-stress liquids with low values of high shear rate viscosity, the spreading dynamics mimics that of Newtonian liquids like water, i.e., an inertia-capillary regime exhibited by a power-law evolution of spreading radius with exponent 1/2. With increasing high shear rate viscosity, we observe that a deceptively similar, although slower, power-law spreading regime is obeyed. The observed regime is in fact a viscous-capillary where viscous dissipation dominates over inertia. The present findings can provide valuable insights into how to efficiently control moving contact lines of biomaterial inks, which often exhibit yield-stress behavior and operate at high print speeds, to achieve desired print resolution.

As the relationship between the gut microbiome and allergies becomes better understood, targeted strategies to prevent and treat allergies through gut microbiome modulation are being increasingly developed. In the study presented herein, we screened various probiotics for their ability to inhibit mast cell degranulation and identified Lactiplatibacillus plantarum HD02 and MD159 as effective candidates. The two strains significantly attenuated vascular permeability induced by mast cell degranulation in a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) model and, in the MC903-induced murine atopic dermatitis (AD) model, demonstrated comparable preventive effects against allergies, reducing blood levels of MCPT-1 (mast cell protease-1) and total IgE. In the house dust mite (HDM)-induced murine AD model, both L. plantarum HD02 and MD159 showed therapeutic effects, with L. plantarum HD02 demonstrating superior efficacy. Nevertheless, L. plantarum MD159 better suppressed transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Furthermore, L. plantarum HD02 and MD159 significantly increased the number of splenic Foxp3 + regulatory T cells, with L. plantarum MD159 having a more pronounced effect. However, only L. plantarum HD02 achieved a reduction in immune cells in the draining lymph nodes. Our findings highlight L. plantarum HD02 and MD159 as promising candidates for the prevention and treatment of allergies, demonstrating significant efficacy in suppressing mast cell degranulation, reducing the number of allergy biomarkers, and modulating immune responses in experimental models of AD. Their distinct mechanisms of action suggest potential complementary roles in addressing allergic diseases, underscoring their therapeutic promise in clinical applications.

Abstract: Pediatric hip pain can have orthopedic, infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or nonmusculoskeletal etiologies. Organizing the differential diagnosis by symptom chronicity and a determination of intraarticular versus extraarticular pain, as well as the age at pain onset, can be helpful to hone in on the cause. Clinicians should consider plain radiographs in cases of acute trauma, with concern for bony pathology, or in patients with unexplained limp or hip pain, with musculoskeletal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging used as advanced imaging when indicated. Relative rest with subsequent strengthening and stretching should be prescribed in nonoperative conditions, though several pediatric hip pain diagnoses require orthopedic or other specialty referral for definitive treatment. This article is a comprehensive review of hip pain etiologies in the pediatric population., (Copyright © 2024 Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a “work of the United States Government” for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.)

Introduction: Lifestyle, defined as a way of living resulting from an individual's deliberate choices, is a crucial factor in improving and maintaining health. Consequently, the measurement and analysis of lifestyle are of significant importance. This study aims to validate the validity and reliability of the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-Active, Balance, Connection, Diversity (YLP-ABCD) in measuring health-related lifestyles., Methods: Data were collected from 300 participants aged 55 and older using the YLP-ABCD. To analyse the validity and reliability of the YLP-ABCD, analysed using frequency, descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch model analysis., Results: The results indicate that the YLP-ABCD, which consists of 35 items, demonstrates unidimensionality and local independence. The Rasch model confirmed the suitability of the 5-point Likert scale for the factors, excluding subfactors Balanced and Unbalanced. The item fit criteria (0.5 < MNSQ < 1.5) were met for all items. The distribution of the respondents' abilities suggests the need for additional items to measure their ability levels. Both the item and respondent separation indices and their reliabilities were satisfactory., Conclusion: This study confirmed the utility of the YLP-ABCD as a valuable tool for measuring and understanding the multifaceted diversity of lifestyles. Therefore, by utilising YLP-ABCD to quantitatively measure health lifestyles, we anticipate contributing to improvements in human health and quality of life., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: This study aimed to investigate major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) over 5 years, in general, and depending on sex, lipoprotein(a) level, and number of kringle IV type 2 (KIV-2) repeats in the Lipoprotein(A) ( LPA ) gene., Methods: This study comprised 216 patients (120 women and 96 men) hospitalized with a diagnosis of "CAD, unstable angina IIB class". The three-point risk of MACEs was assessed over 5 years: cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and stroke. The number of KIV-2 repeats in the LPA gene was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)., Results: The relative risk of MACE in patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) was 2.0 (95% CI 1.04-3.87, p < 0.05) for quartile 4 (Q4) ≥ 48 mg/dL versus quartile 1 (Q1) ≤ 6 mg/dL. This was mainly attributable to an increase in men-relative risk (RR) 2.6 (95% CI 1.10-6.16, p < 0.05)-but not in women: RR 1.4 (95% CI 0.50-3.92). Mean lipoprotein(a) levels were inversely correlated with 42.5 and 7.5 for Q1 and Q4 KIV-2 repeat numbers, respectively. The relative risks of MACE for Q1 vs. Q4 KIV-2 repeats were as follows: 3.0 (95% CI 1.48-6.08, p < 0.001) for all patients; 3.0 (95% CI 1.20-6.55, p < 0.01) for men; 3.3 (95% CI 1.02-10.4, p < 0.05) for women., Conclusions: Quantifying kringle IV type 2 repeat copy number in the LPA gene using qPCR more accurately reflects the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events within 5 years in women with coronary artery disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

The small mammalian fauna plays pivotal roles in ecosystem dynamics and as crucial biodiversity indicators. However, recent research has raised concerns about the decline of mammalian species due to climate change. Consequently, significant attention is directed toward studying various big flagship mammalian species for conservation. However, small mammals such as the hog badgers (Mustelidae: Arctonyx ) remain understudied regarding the impacts of climate change in Asia. The present study offers a comprehensive analysis of climate change effects on two mainland hog badger species, utilizing ensemble species distribution modeling. Findings reveal concerning outcomes, as only 52% of the IUCN extent is deemed suitable for the Great Hog Badger ( Arctonyx collaris ) and a mere 17% is ideal for the Northern Hog Badger ( Arctonyx albogularis ). Notably, projections suggest a potential reduction of over 26% in suitable areas for both species under future climate scenarios, with the most severe decline anticipated in the high-emission scenario of SSP585. These declines translate into evident habitat fragmentation, particularly impacting A. collaris , whose patches shrink substantially, contrasting with the relatively stable patches of A. albogularis . However, despite their differences, niche overlap analysis reveals an intriguing increase in overlap between the two species, indicating potential ecological shifts. The study underscores the importance of integrating climate change and habitat fragmentation considerations into conservation strategies, urging a reassessment of the IUCN status of A. albogularis . The insights gained from this research are crucial for improving protection measures by ensuring adequate legal safeguards and maintaining ecological corridors between viable habitat patches, which are essential for the conservation of hog badgers across mainland Asia. Furthermore, emphasizing the urgency of proactive efforts, particularly in countries with suitable habitats can help safeguard these small mammalian species and their ecosystems from the detrimental impacts of climate change., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Numerous studies have suggested that noise exposure might be associated with changes in stress hormone levels. However, quantitative evidence for these effects in humans is rare and remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of exposure to noise and its different levels on stress hormone changes in task performance. Quasi-experimental noise exposure environment was established for 90 male university student volunteers in their twenties, and each was exposed to different noise levels during task performance. The stress hormones tested included cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), adrenaline, and noradrenaline. A one-way ANOVA was performed to investigate differences in hormone levels measured in the three groups according to the noise exposure levels (35, 45, or 75 dB). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to adjust for confounding factors that might affect hormone levels. After adjusting for confounders, significant exposure-dependent differences were found in hormone levels in salivary cortisol, serum cortisol, serum ACTH, and serum adrenaline. The amount of hormonal increase in 75 dB exposure group compared to 35 or 45 dB groups was detected. Similar results were also seen in the rate of change analysis. Our findings indicate that short-term noise exposure during task performance elevates stress hormone levels. Further, the extent of stress hormone alterations varies with noise exposure levels. Changes in hormone levels are an objective measure that may be used to identify health effects and stress responses in various noise environments.

Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive bacterium that is frequently found in the periapical lesion of patients with apical periodontitis. Its biofilm formation in root canal is closely related to the development of refractory apical periodontitis by providing increased resistance to endodontic treatments. Phage therapy has recently been considered as an efficient therapeutic strategy in controlling various periodontal pathogens. We previously demonstrated the bactericidal capacities of Enterococcus phage vB&#95;EfaS&#95;HEf13 (phage HEf13) against clinically-isolated E. faecalis strains. Here, we investigated whether phage HEf13 affects biofilm formation and pre-formed biofilm of clinically-isolated E. faecalis, and its combinatory effect with endodontic treatments, including chlorhexidine (CHX) and penicillin. The phage HEf13 inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted pre-formed biofilms of E. faecalis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, phage HEf13 destroyed E. faecalis biofilm exopolysaccharide (EPS), which is known to be a major component of bacterial biofilm. Furthermore, combined treatment of phage HEf13 with CHX or penicillin more potently inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted pre-formed biofilm than either treatment alone. Confocal laser scanning microscopic examination demonstrated that these additive effects of the combination treatments on disruption of pre-formed biofilm are mediated by relatively enhanced reduction in thickness distribution and biomass of biofilm. Collectively, our results suggest that the effect of phage HEf13 on E. faecalis biofilm is mediated by its EPS-degrading property, and its combination with endodontic treatments more potently suppresses E. faecalis biofilm, implying that phage HEf13 has potential to be used as a combination therapy against E. faecalis infections., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Microbiological Society of Korea.)

Introduction: Drug persistence may be a surrogate marker that reflects both long-term efficacy and safety in clinical settings, and tuberculosis (TB) is considered as one of the most important opportunistic infections after the biological treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to compare drug persistence and incidence of TB between tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors and tocilizumab in patients with RA using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database., Methods: In this analysis, 5449 patients with RA who started TNFα inhibitors, such as adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, and golimumab or tocilizumab, as the first-line biological therapy between January 2014 and December 2017 were analyzed and followed up until December 2019. Drug persistence was defined as the duration from initiation to first discontinuation, and TB was defined as the prescription of > 2 anti-TB medications after the initiation of biologics., Results: TNFα inhibitors and tocilizumab were prescribed in 4202 (adalimumab, 1413; etanercept, 1100; infliximab, 769; golimumab 920) and 1247 patients with RA, respectively. During the analysis period, 2090 (49.7%) and 477 (38.3%) patients with RA discontinued TNFα inhibitors and tocilizumab, respectively, and 42 patients with RA developed TB (TNFα inhibitors, 33; tocilizumab, 9). After adjustment for confounding factors, TNFα inhibitors were significantly associated with a higher risk of discontinuation compared with tocilizumab (hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, all types of TNFα inhibitors, except for infliximab, demonstrated a significantly lower persistence rate compared with tocilizumab. There was no significant difference in TB incidence between tocilizumab and TNFα inhibitors. In subgroup analysis, infliximab has a significantly higher risk of TB compared with tocilizumab (HR 2.84, p = 0.02)., Conclusion: In this analysis, tocilizumab had longer persistence than TNFα inhibitors with a similar incidence of TB. Our analysis has limitations: (1) The HIRA database lacks clinical details like disease activity and joint damage extent, potentially influencing the analysis results. (2) Reasons for discontinuing biological agents were not available. (3) TB diagnoses may be inaccurate because of missing microbiological results. (4) We did not analyze the impact of treating latent TB infection on TB development post-biological treatment, despite mandatory screening in Korea., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background/Objectives: The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections has increased globally; however, the clinical manifestations and optimal treatment strategies for extrapulmonary NTM infections remain poorly defined. This study assessed the clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes of extrapulmonary NTM infections. Methods: Data from adult patients with suspected extrapulmonary NTM infections at a tertiary-care hospital from 2009-2022 were categorized into NTM disease and isolation groups. Diagnosis of NTM disease relied on stringent criteria, whereas isolation required NTM isolation without meeting the criteria for infection. Results: Among 75 patients evaluated, 32 (42%) were diagnosed with NTM disease and 43 (57%) with NTM isolation. History of immunosuppressant use within the past 3 months ( p = 0.070) and injection ( p = 0.001) were more frequent in the disease group. The median interval from symptom onset to evaluation was 106.6 and 20 days in the disease and isolation groups, respectively. The prevalence of positive NTM polymerase chain reaction results (36.4%, p = 0.003) and acid-fast bacillus staining (39.1%, p < 0.001) was significantly higher in the disease group than in the isolation group. Mycobacterium intracellulare (21.9%), M. abscessus (15.6%), M. chelonae (9.4%), and M. fortuitum complex (9.4%) were the most frequently identified species. Of the 27 patients in the disease group who received treatment, 13 improved, four experienced treatment failure, seven were lost to follow-up, and three died during treatment, with one death directly attributable to NTM disease. Conclusions: NTM disease exhibits a spectrum of clinical manifestations. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for initiating effective treatment.

Raindrops falling on window-panes spread upon contact, whereas hail can cause dents or scratches on the same glass window upon contact. While the former phenomenon resembles classical wetting, the latter is dictated by contact and adhesion theories. The classical Young-Dupre law applies to the wetting of pure liquids on rigid solids, whereas conventional contact mechanics theories account for rigid-on-soft or soft-on-rigid contacts with small deformations in the elastic limit. However, the crossover between adhesion and wetting is yet to be fully resolved. The key lies in the study of soft-on-soft interactions with material properties intermediate between liquids and solids. In this work, we translate adhesion to wetting by experimentally probing the static signature of hydrogels in contact with soft PDMS of varying elasticity of both the components. Consequently, we probe this transition across six orders of magnitude in terms of the characteristic elasto-adhesive parameter of the system. In doing so, we reveal previously unknown phenomenology and a theoretical model which smoothly bridges adhesion of glass spheres with total wetting of pure liquids on any given substrate.

Hypothesis: Soft materials, particularly elastomers, are extensively studied, but investigations into purely soft gel contact systems are limited due to their complex dual phases consisting of polymer and free liquids. While Dual Wavelength-Reflection Interference Confocal Microscopy (DW-RICM) is effective for noninvasively visualizing interfaces from a bottom view, it faces challenges in gel studies due to close refractive indices of polymeric networks and free liquids. We hypothesize that modulating the refractive index of soft gels using nanoparticles (NPs) enhances the visualization of contact zone beneath the free surface, providing insights into the configuration of phase-separated free oil within gel-on-gel contact systems., Experiments: Gel-on-gel contact systems were fabricated using immiscible organogels and hydrogels. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) NPs were introduced into the organogel to modulate refractive indices. Given the lack of prior studies on the hidden contact zone between gels, various techniques, including DW-RICM, side-view imaging, and inverted optical microscopy, were employed to observe and validate our findings. Comparative analyses were conducted with elastomer-on-rigid, elastomer-on-gel, and gel-on-rigid contact systems., Findings: Our investigation demonstrated that a minimal amount of TiO 2 NPs effectively delineates the direct contact radius between organogel polymeric networks and hydrogel surfaces. Comparative experiments showed that TiO 2 addition did not alter the gels' mechanical and surface properties but significantly enhanced information on gel contact deformation. This enhanced visualization technique has the potential to advance our understanding of adhesive contacts in gels, providing valuable insights into interface phenomena involving biological soft tissues and cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Boxin Zhao reports financial support was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Sushanta K. Mitra reports financial support was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Patients with brain injury often experience accompanying disabilities that can make it challenging for them to use tools or perform complex tests. Therefore, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) is widely used in clinical practice as an alternative to the computerized neurocognitive test (CNT) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale tests to assess cognitive function in these individuals. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the K-MMSE and CNT in brain injury patients to evaluate the and clinical usefulness of K-MMSE. A total of 120 patients were assessed using both tests, and a significant correlation was observed between the total scores of K-MMSE and CNT. The orientation component of K-MMSE was significantly correlated with CNT components, indicating that individuals who perform well on orientation tasks are likely to have better cognitive abilities overall. While K-MMSE has limitations in evaluating specific cognitive domains, it is a useful tool in clinical practice for evaluating cognitive impairment, especially in patients who have difficulty using more complex cognitive tests., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Society for Neurorehabilitation.)

Electro-mechanical co-stimulation of cells can be a useful cue for tissue engineering. However, reliable co-stimulation platforms still have limitations due to low durability of the components and difficulty in optimizing the stimulation parameters. Although various electro-mechanical co-simulation systems have been explored, integrating materials and components with high durability is still limited. To tackle this problem, we designed an electro-mechanical co-stimulation system that facilitates uniaxial cyclic stretching, electrical stimulation, and optical monitoring. This system utilizes a robust and autoclavable stretchable multielectrode array housed within a compact mini-incubator. To illustrate its effectiveness, we conducted experiments that highlighted how electro-mechanical co-stimulation using this system can enhance the maturation of cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. The results showed great potential of our co-stimulation platform as an effective tool for tissue engineering., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 A Ri Kim et al.)

Postoperative gastric cancer patients have many questions about managing their daily lives with various symptoms and discomfort. This study aimed to develop a knowledge-based question answering (QA) chatbot for their self-management and to evaluate the user experience and performance of the chatbot. To support the chatbot's natural language processing, we analyzed QA texts from an online self-help group, clinical guidelines, and refined frequently asked questions related to gastric cancer. We developed a named entity classification with seven superconcepts, 4544 subconcepts, and 1415 synonyms. We also developed a knowledge base by linking the users' classified question intents with the experts' answers and knowledge resources, including 677 question intents and scripts with standard QA pairs and similar question phrases. A chatbot called "GastricFAQ" was built, reflecting the question topics of the named entity classification and QA pairs of the knowledge base. User experience evaluation (N = 56) revealed the highest mean score for usefulness (4.41/5.00), with all other items rated 4.00 or higher, except desirability (3.85/5.00). The chatbot's accuracy, precision, recall, and F score ratings were 85.2%, 87.6%, 96.8%, and 92.0%, respectively, with immediate answers. GastricFAQ could be provided as one option to obtain immediate information with relatively high accuracy for postoperative gastric cancer patients., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic complex inflammatory skin disorder that requires sustainable treatment methods due to the limited efficacy of conventional therapies. Sargassum serratifolium, an algal species with diverse bioactive substances, is investigated in this study for its potential benefits as a therapeutic agent for atopic dermatitis. RNA sequencing of LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with ethanolic extract of Sargassum serratifolium (ESS) revealed its ability to inhibit a broad range of inflammation-related signaling, which was proven in RAW 264.7 and HaCaT cells. In DNCB-induced BALB/c or HR-1 mice, ESS treatment improved symptoms of atopic dermatitis within the skin, along with histological improvements such as reduced epidermal thickness and infiltration of mast cells. ESS showed a tendency to improve serum IgE levels and inflammation-related cytokine changes, while also improving the mRNA expression levels of Chi3l3, Ccr1, and Fcεr1a genes in the skin. Additionally, ESS compounds (sargachromanol (SCM), sargaquinoic acid (SQA), and sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA)) mitigated inflammatory responses in LPS-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. In summary, ESS has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves atopic dermatitis, ESS may be applied as a therapeutics for atopic dermatitis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Given the recognized involvement of the gut microbiome in the development of obesity, considerable efforts are being made to discover probiotics capable of preventing and managing obesity. In this study, we report the discovery of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GBCC&#95;F0227, isolated from fermented food, which exhibited superior triglyceride catabolism efficacy compared to L. plantarum WCSF1. Molecular analysis showed elevated expression levels of α/β hydrolases with lipase activity (abH04, abH08&#95;1, abH08&#95;2, abH11&#95;1, and abH11&#95;2) in L. plantarum GBCC&#95;F0227 compared to L. plantarum WCFS1, demonstrating its enhanced lipolytic activity. In a high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse obesity model, the administration of L. plantarum GBCC&#95;F0227 mitigated weight gain, reduced blood triglycerides, and diminished fat mass. Furthermore, L. plantarum GBCC&#95;F0227 upregulated adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue, indicative of favorable metabolic modulation, and showed robust growth and low cytotoxicity, underscoring its industrial viability. Therefore, our findings encourage the further investigation of L. plantarum GBCC&#95;F0227's therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of obesity and associated metabolic diseases.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the air pollutants emitted from the petrochemical industry known to pose adverse health effects on workers. The database based on the third phase of The Environmental Health Study in the Korean National Industrial Complexes (EHSNIC) in Ulsan conducted from 2018 to 2021 was used. Subjects were divided into the exposed and control group according to the estimated pollution level and distances from the industrial complexes. Ambient benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were significantly higher in the exposed group compared to the controls, as well as their metabolites. Risk of chronic disease and atopic dermatitis was higher in the exposed group which was supported by higher serum inflammatory markers and high hazard index of the exposed region. These results can draw attention to people engaged with environmental plans and used as primary data when making policies to reduce pollutant levels around industrial complexes.

This study aimed to identify factors influencing compliance with social distancing, a key nonpharmaceutical intervention during the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The study population comprised 182 758 Koreans who participated in the 2020 Community Health Survey. Personal characteristics were classified into sociodemographic, health behavioral, and psychosocial factors, and factors associated with social distancing compliance were identified. Health behaviors and psychosocial factors were highly related to compliance with social distancing. Approximately 13% of smokers were less likely to practice physical distancing and 50% of high-risk drinkers were less likely to limit going out or attending gatherings and events. Higher concern about COVID-19 and a more positive perception of the government's response policy were associated with a higher compliance with social distancing. Strategic public health policies considering the characteristics of the public are needed to enhance compliance with nonpharmaceutical interventions during disease outbreaks lacking effective treatments and vaccines., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Abstract: Atraumatic distal clavicular osteolysis (DCO) is a cause of shoulder pain in younger athletes, often resulting from weightlifting and activities with repetitive pressing and overhead lifting. Athletes will present with shoulder pain localized to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, with tenderness to palpation over the joint exacerbated by provocative testing on examination. Conservative management often includes activity modification, oral analgesics, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injection. Distal clavicular osteolysis can be refractory to conservative management and these athletes are often referred for surgical consultation. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been used to treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries, but there have been no published studies assessing the efficacy of PRP injections specifically for distal clavicle osteolysis. We present a case of refractory DCO successfully treated with an ultrasound-guided PRP injection of the AC joint., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The views expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

New nurses must acquire accurate knowledge of medication administration, as it directly affects patient safety. This study aimed to develop a microlearning-based self-directed learning chatbot on medication administration for novice nurses. Furthermore, the study had the objective of evaluating the chatbot feasibility. The chatbot covered two main topics: medication administration processes and drug-specific management, along with 21 subtopics. Fifty-eight newly hired nurses on standby were asked to use the chatbot over a 2-week period. Moreover, we evaluated the chatbot's feasibility through a survey that gauged changes in their confidence in medication administration knowledge, intrinsic learning motivation, satisfaction with the chatbot's learning content, and usability. After using the chatbot, participants' confidence in medication administration knowledge significantly improved in all topics ( P < .001) except "Understanding a concept of 5Right" ( P = .077). Their intrinsic learning motivation, satisfaction with the learning content, and usability scored above 5 out of 7 in all subdomains, except for pressure/tension (mean, 2.12; median, 1.90). They scored highest on ease of learning (mean, 6.69; median, 7.00). A microlearning-based chatbot can help new nurses improve their knowledge of medication administration through self-directed learning., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Our study analyzed 95 solid organ transplant (SOT) and 78 hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients with prior coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients who underwent transplantation within 30 days of COVID-19 infection comprised the early group, and those who underwent transplantation post-30 days of COVID-19 infection comprised the delayed group. In the early transplantation group, no patient, whether undergoing SOT and HSCT, experienced COVID-19-associated complications. In the delayed transplantation group, one patient each from SOT and HSCT experienced COVID-19-associated complications. Additionally, among early SOT and HSCT recipients, two and six patients underwent transplantation within seven days of COVID-19 diagnosis, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed in the clinical outcomes of these patients compared to those in other patients. Early transplantation following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection can be performed without increased risk of COVID-19-associated complications. Therefore, transplantation needs not be delayed by COVID-19 infection., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2024 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.)

Sessile hydrogel drops on rigid surfaces exhibit a wetting/contact morphology intermediate between liquid drops and glass spheres. Using density functional theory, we reveal the contact forces acting between a hydrogel and a rigid glass surface. We show that while transitioning from liquid-like to solid-like hydrogels, there exists a critical hydrogel elasticity that enables a switch from attractive-to-repulsive interaction with the underlying rigid glass surface. Our theoretical model is validated by experimental observations of sessile polyacrylamide hydrogels of varying elasticity on glass surfaces. Further, the proposed model successfully approaches Young's law in the pure liquid limit and work of adhesion in the glassy limit. Lastly, we show a modified contact angle relation, taking into account the hydrogel elasticity to explain the features of a distinct hydrogel foot.

Though remdesivir benefits COVID-19 patients, its use in those with renal dysfunction is currently limited due to concerns about possible toxic effects of accumulated sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBECD) on liver and kidney. We examined renal and hepatic function for a month in renally-impaired COVID-19 patients who were treated or not treated with remdesivir to assess the safety of the drug. A retrospective study was performed in adult COVID-19 patients with glomerular filtration rates of <30 ml/min/1.73 m 2  at admission to a tertiary care hospital between November 2020 and March 2022. Data on serum creatinine and liver chemistry were collected serially. A total of 101 patients with impaired renal function were analyzed, comprising 64 remdesivir-treated patients and 37 who did not receive any antiviral agent. Although remdesivir-treated patients were more likely to be infected with the Omicron variant (79.7% vs. 48.6%), baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between the two groups. Among patients who initially did not require dialysis, 18.4% (7/38) of remdesivir-treated patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI) at days 4-6, compared with 51.7% (15/29) of non-remdesivir-treated patients. Liver injury severity worsened in 3.1% (2/64) of remdesivir-treated patients and 5.4% (2/37) of non-remdesivir-treated patients at days 4-6. In addition, there was no significant increase in AKI and liver injury over time in remdesivir-treated patients, and there were no cases of discontinuation of remdesivir due to adverse reactions. Concerns regarding the safety of SBECD should not lead to hasty withholding of remdesivir treatment in renally-impaired COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of periodontitis on renal function and morphology in rats with or without nephrectomy (Nx)-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD)., Methods: Rats were divided into sham surgery (Sham), Sham with tooth ligation (ShamL), Nx, and NxL groups. Periodontitis was induced by tooth ligation at 16-week olds. Creatinine, alveolar bone area, and renal histopathology were analyzed at 20-week olds., Results: Creatinine did not differ between the Sham and ShamL groups or between the Nx and NxL groups. The ShamL and NxL groups (both p = 0.002) had less alveolar bone area than the Sham group. The NxL group had fewer glomeruli than the Nx group (p < 0.000). The periodontitis groups demonstrated more tubulointerstitial fibrosis (Sham vs. ShamL p = 0.002, Nx vs. NxL p < 0.000) and macrophage infiltration (Sham vs. ShamL p = 0.002, Nx vs. NxL p = 0.006) than the groups without periodontitis. Only the NxL group had greater renal TNFα expression than the Sham group (p < 0.003)., Conclusions: These suggest that periodontitis increases renal fibrosis and inflammation in the presence or absence of CKD but does not affect renal function. Periodontitis also increases TNFα expression in the presence of CKD., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The hispid hare, Caprolagus hispidus , belonging to the family Leporidae is a small grassland mammal found in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Despite having an endangered status according to the IUCN Red List, it lacks studies on its distribution and is threatened by habitat loss and land cover changes. Thus, the present study attempted to assess the habitat suitability using the species distribution model approach for the first time and projected its future in response to climate change, habitat, and urbanization factors. The results revealed that out of the total geographical extent of 188,316 km 2 , only 11,374 km 2 (6.03%) were identified as suitable habitat for this species. The results also revealed that habitat significantly declined across its range (>60%) under certain climate change scenarios. Moreover, in the present climate scenario protected areas such as Shuklaphanta National Park (0.837) in Nepal exhibited the highest mean extent of habitat whereas, in India, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (0.631) is found to be the most suitable habitat. Notably, two protected areas in Uttarakhand, India, specifically Corbett National Park (0.530) and Sonanandi Wildlife Sanctuary (0.423), have also demonstrated suitable habitats for C. hispidus . Given that protected areas showing a future rise in habitat suitability might also be regarded as potential sites for species translocation, this study underscores the importance of implementing proactive conservation strategies to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on this species. It is essential to prioritize habitat restoration, focused protection measures, and further species-level ecological exploration to address these challenges effectively. Furthermore, fostering transboundary collaboration and coordinated conservation actions between nations is crucial to safeguarding the long-term survival of the species throughout its distribution range.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediary condition between typical cognitive decline that occurs owing to aging and dementia. It is necessary to implement an intervention to slow the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease. This manuscript reports the protocol for a clinical trial on the effect of acupuncture in patients with MCI., Methods: The trial will be a randomized, prospective, parallel-arm, active-controlled trial. Sixty-four patients with MCI will be randomized to the Rehacom or acupuncture group ( n  = 32 each). The participants in the acupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture at GV24 (Shenting) and GV20 (Baihui) and acupuncture at EX-HN1 (Sishencong) once (30 min) a day, twice per week for 12 weeks. The patients in the Rehacom group will receive computerized cognitive rehabilitation using RehaCom software once (30 min) daily, twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the change in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale score. The secondary outcome measures are the Geriatric Depression Scale, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Korean version-cognitive subscale-3 scores, and European Quality of Life Five Dimensions Five Level Scale. The safety outcomes will include the incidence of adverse events, blood pressure, blood chemistry parameters, and pulse rate. The efficacy outcome will be assessed at baseline and at six weeks, 13 weeks, and 24 weeks after baseline., Discussion: The findings of this protocol will provide information regarding the effects of acupuncture on MCI., Clinical Trial Registration: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search&#95;lang=E&focus=reset&#95;12&search&#95;page=M&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=25579&status=5&seq&#95;group=25579, KCT0008861., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kim, Shin, Kim, Seo, Park, Kang and Lee.)

Background: Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative bacterium that is widespread in the environment. S. marcescens bacteremia can be fatal during pregnancy and cause persistent chorioamnionitis. This study reports an outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infection (BSI) among high-risk pregnant women in an obstetric ward. The purpose of this study is to report our experience with the usefulness of the ATP test in hospital environmental management and to confirm that bloodstream infections of patients with the same strain were correlated by WGS testing., Methods: This retrospective study collected the data of inpatients with S. marcescens bacteremia in obstetric ward for high-risk pregnant women from August 22, 2021, to October 14, 2021. We performed: an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence test in the environment with a high-contact area; environmental culture; on-site monitoring and staff education; and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate genetic relationships among S. marcescens isolates., Results: S. marcescens BSI occurred in four consecutive patients. None of the patients had central venous catheters. An ATP bioluminescence test revealed that high-contact areas and areas for injection preparation were not clean (≥ 1000 relative light units). However, S. marcescens was not identified in the environmental cultures, likely due to intensive environmental cleaning and discarding of potentially contaminated specimens before the culture test. On-site monitoring and education were conducted for 1 month. There were no further reports of BSI until 6 months after the last patient was discharged. WGS performed on three isolates from three patients indicated that the isolated S. marcescens was likely from the same strain., Conclusions: We controlled an S. marcescens outbreak by improving environmental cleaning as well as education of and behavior changes in healthcare workers. Using the ATP bioluminescence test can provide feedback on environmental cleaning and education. WGS played a role in determining the spread of BSI caused by the same strain., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: There have been few studies on predictors of weaning failure from MV in patients with heart failure (HF). We sought to investigate the predictive value of B-lines measured by lung ultrasound (LUS) on the risk of weaning failure from mechanical ventilation (MV) and in-hospital outcomes., Methods: This was a single-center, prospective observational study that included HF patients who were on invasive MV. LUS was performed immediate before ventilator weaning. A positive LUS exam was defined as the observation of two or more regions that had three or more count of B-lines located bilaterally on the thorax. The primary outcome was early MV weaning failure, defined as re-intubation within 72 h., Results: A total of 146 consecutive patients (mean age 70 years; 65.8% male) were enrolled. The total count of B-lines was a median of 10 and correlated with NT-pro-BNP level ( r 2  = 0.132, p  < 0.001). Early weaning failure was significantly higher in the positive LUS group (9 out of 64, 14.1%) than the negative LUS group (2 out of 82, 2.4%) ( p  = 0.011). The rate of total re-intubation during the hospital stay ( p  = 0.004), duration of intensive care unit stay ( p  = 0.004), and hospital stay ( p  = 0.010) were greater in the positive LUS group. The negative predictive value (NPV) of positive LUS was 97.6% for the primary outcome., Conclusion: B-lines measured by LUS can predict the risk of weaning failure. Considering the high NPV of positive LUS, it may help guide the decision of weaning in patients on invasive MV due to acute decompensated HF., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Hyun, Kim, Lee and Kim.)

Rehabilitation improves symptoms, quality of life, and survival in patients with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease. We evaluated smartphone application-based rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. This was a single-center prospective single arm study. Participants underwent smartphone application-based pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation for 12 weeks. A total of 93 participants were recruited, and 75 visited after rehabilitation. Their median age was 67.0 (interquartile range, 60.0-70.8) years, and 60 (80.0%) were men. For patients with chronic respiratory disease (n = 41), VO 2 peak (median 13.7 to 15.4 ml/kg/min, P = 0.049), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (median 14 to 6, P < 0.001), Euro-QoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) index (median 0.795 to 0.862, P = 0.001), and Health-related Quality of Life Instrument with 8 Items (HINT-8) index (median 0.784 to 0.855, P < 0.001) were significantly improved. For patients with chronic cardiovascular disease (n = 34), VO 2 peak (median 21.8 to 23.3, P = 0.007), EQ-5D-5L index (median 0.871 to 1.000, P = 0.037), and HINT-8 index (median 0.890 to 0.903, P < 0.001) were significantly improved. The smartphone application-based rehabilitation program improved exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease.Trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05383950 (20/05/2022)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The global exploration of evolutionary trends in groupers, based on mitogenomes, is currently underway. This research extensively investigates the structure of and variations in Cephalopholis species mitogenomes, along with their phylogenetic relationships, focusing specifically on Cephalopholis taeniops from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. The generated mitogenome spans 16,572 base pairs and exhibits a gene order analogous to that of the ancestral teleost's, featuring 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and an AT-rich control region. The mitogenome of C. taeniops displays an AT bias (54.99%), aligning with related species. The majority of PCGs in the mitogenome initiate with the start codon ATG, with the exceptions being COI (GTG) and atp6 (TTG). The relative synonymous codon usage analysis revealed the maximum abundance of leucine, proline, serine, and threonine. The nonsynonymous/synonymous ratios were <1, which indicates a strong negative selection among all PCGs of the Cephalopholis species. In C. taeniops , the prevalent transfer RNAs display conventional cloverleaf secondary structures, except for tRNA-serine (GCT), which lacks a dihydrouracil (DHU) stem. A comparative examination of conserved domains and sequence blocks across various Cephalopholis species indicates noteworthy variations in length and nucleotide diversity. Maximum likelihood, neighbor-joining, and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses, employing the concatenated PCGs and a combination of PCGs + rRNAs, distinctly separate all Cephalopholis species, including C. taeniops . Overall, these findings deepen our understanding of evolutionary relationships among serranid groupers, emphasizing the significance of structural considerations in mitogenomic analyses.

The rational design and steering of earth-abundant, efficient, and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation is highly desirable but challenging with catalysts free of platinum group metals (PGMs). Mass production of high-purity hydrogen fuel from seawater electrolysis presents a transformative technology for sustainable alternatives. Here, a heterostructure of molybdenum selenide-nickel selenide (Mo 3 Se 4 -NiSe) core-shell nanowire arrays constructed on nickel foam by a single-step in situ hydrothermal process is reported. This tiered structure provides improved intrinsic activity and high electrical conductivity for efficient charge transfer and endows excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in alkaline and natural seawater conditions. The Mo 3 Se 4 -NiSe freestanding electrodes require small overpotentials of 84.4 and 166 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm -2 in alkaline and natural seawater electrolytes, respectively. It maintains an impressive balance between electrocatalytic activity and stability. Experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that the Mo 3 Se 4 -NiSe interface provides abundant active sites for the HER process, which modulate the binding energies of adsorbed species and decrease the energetic barrier, providing a new route to design state-of-the-art, PGM-free catalysts for hydrogen production from alkaline and seawater electrolysis., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)