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In the analyses, published in Ref. [1], the exclusion limits are calculated in dependence of the mean free path of the magnetic monopole - nucleon catalysis interaction.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is an immune-mediated, fibroinflammatory condition that causes multisystemic contrast enhancement and is predominantly observed in elderly male patients. The most prominent features of IgG4-related disease are systemic involvement affecting from two to six systems. In the central nervous system, these contrast enhancements are typically found in the meninges and orbit. This case study describes a 78-year-old female patient with persistent headaches and constant diarrhea who underwent treatment for IgG4-related disease. Despite two months of treatment with non-steroidal and opioid analgesics, the patient remained unresponsive and continued to experience diarrhea for 4 months. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed contrast enhancement in the leptomeningeal surfaces, and a biopsy of the gastrointestinal mucosa confirmed the diagnosis of IgG4-related disease, showing widespread plasma cell infiltration and IgG4 expression on plasma cells. The patient was initially treated with 1.0 g/day of pulse therapy for 5 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 1.0 mg/kg oral azathioprine. When azathioprine caused significant pancytopenia, rituximab therapy was initiated. The patient’s headaches resolved completely, and the diarrheal attacks were controlled. This case highlights the importance of considering IgG4-related disease as a potential cause of headache or multiorgan symptoms in elderly patients with new-onset headache unresponsive to conventional analgesics. IgG4-related disease can often be effectively treated with steroids and monoclonal antibodies.

Heavy metals are released into the environment due to anthropogenic activities. Cement industries are classified among the main sources of environmental pollutants. This study aims to evaluate the ecological and human health risks of heavy metals in soils and leaves from the CIMTOGO cement factory area in Lomé, Togo. Samples were dried successively in open air and in oven at 105 oC for 24 hours. Samples ground and sieved were used in the analysis using a ZEEnit 700 atomic absorption spectrometer and Ion chromatograph IC 1500 Dionex. The amount of heavy metals in the samples as well as the pollution indices were investigated. High concentration of and Cadmium in the soil, and of chromium and lead in the leaves were found. High potential ecological risk index of 157.26 and 303.73 and the pollution load index of 1.02 and 1.39 were found for the soil and the leaf, respectively confirming the deterioration of the quality of the soil and leaves. The hazard index (0.86) closer to 1 indicates that the cement production activities could have harmful impacts on the health of the surrounding populations and the decision makers have to think about the decontamination of the area.

Abstract Background The risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is up to 50% among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, diabetes education during and after pregnancy is limited. To bridge this gap, our team developed four training modules on GDM for nurses and community health workers. This pilot study assesses changes in knowledge, self-efficacy for providing diabetes education, attitudes, and intentions to recommend diabetes prevention before and after training completion. Methods Interactive online modules were disseminated to clinical staff providing care for women with GDM in the United States. Optional pre- and post-training surveys were conducted to gauge the effectiveness of the modules. GDM knowledge (scoring 0–100) was evaluated with a 23 question assessment with total score and individual module scores reported [(# correct/# total)*100]. Self-efficacy for providing diabetes education (scoring 1–10) was evaluated with a 15-question survey and intention to recommend diabetes prevention (scoring 1–5) was assessed with an 8-item survey. Attitudes were assessed with three subscales of the Diabetes Attitude Scale (scoring 1–5). Changes in scores on each scale before and after training are reported using non-parametric Wilcoxon matched-pair signed rank tests. Results Eighty-two individuals completed baseline evaluation and 20 individuals accessed all modules and completed post-training assessments. Among those completing the training, improvement was noted in GDM knowledge [56.5 (16.0) v. 78.3 (22.0), p

We report a first measurement for ultrahigh energy cosmic rays of the correlation between the depth of shower maximum and the signal in the water Cherenkov stations of air-showers registered simultaneously by the fluorescence and the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such a correlation measurement is a unique feature of a hybrid air-shower observatory with sensitivity to both the electromagnetic and muonic components. It allows an accurate determination of the spread of primary masses in the cosmic-ray flux. Up till now, constraints on the spread of primary masses have been dominated by systematic uncertainties. The present correlation measurement is not affected by systematics in the measurement of the depth of shower maximum or the signal in the water Cherenkov stations. The analysis relies on general characteristics of air showers and is thus robust also with respect to uncertainties in hadronic event generators. The observed correlation in the energy range around the ‘ankle’ at lg⁡(E/eV)=18.5–19.0 differs significantly from expectations for pure primary cosmic-ray compositions. A light composition made up of proton and helium only is equally inconsistent with observations. The data are explained well by a mixed composition including nuclei with mass A>4. Scenarios such as the proton dip model, with almost pure compositions, are thus disfavored as the sole explanation of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray flux at Earth. Keywords: Pierre Auger Observatory, Cosmic rays, Mass composition, Ankle

The current study determined the impact of the Argumentation-Flipped Learning (AFL) Model on the scientific process skills and academic achievement of students by performing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest and retention control group design. The data were collected by scientific process skills test and concept test from a total of 112 5th grade students randomly selected from a public school in the 2017-2018 academic year. In the curriculum, Experimental group-I and Experimental group-II students were taught the lesson by argumentation-flipped learning model and Flipped Teaching Method (FTM), respectively. The lessons in the control group were taught by the method where the teacher was the narrator. The information and the activities in the curriculum were presented directly. The study was applied in the "Matter and Change" unit. The data of the study were collected by scientific process skills and academic achievement test. SPSS 22.0 package program was used to analyze the data obtained from the study. Shapiro-Wilk Distribution Test and descriptive statistics were used to determine whether the data showed normal distribution. Furthermore, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used. According to the study's results, it was determined that the methods applied to the groups did not make a significant difference in the levels of scientific process or in student's academic success.

Abstract Background The temperature changes, chemical agents, and brushing activity that resin composite restorations are exposed to in the oral environment can cause changes in surface roughness. In this study, the aim was to investigate in vitro the clinical one-year surface roughness changes of different types of composites (flowable or conventional) from the same companies by subjecting them to immersion in solutions, brushing, and thermal cycling procedures to simulate intraoral conditions. Methods Four different resin composite brands were included in the study using both their conventional (Charisma Smart, 3M Filtek Ultimate Universal, Omnichroma, Beautifil II) and flowable resin composites (Charisma Flow, 3M Filtek Ultimate Flowable, Omnichroma Flow, Beautifil Flow Plus F00), giving 4 groups with 2 types of resin composite in each. 40 samples were prepared for each group/resin type, for a total of 320 samples. After initial surface roughness measurements by a mechanical profilometer, the samples were divided into 4 subgroups (n = 10) and immersed in solutions (distilled water, tea, coffee, or wine) for 12 days. The samples were then subjected to 10,000 cycles of brushing simulation and 10,000 cycles of thermal aging. Surface roughness measurements were repeated after the procedures. For statistical analysis, the 3-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test were used (p

Abstract Background By evaluating nurses’ attitudes and behaviors regarding narcotic drug safety and addiction, effective strategies need to be developed for combating addiction in healthcare institutions. This study, aimed at providing an insight into patient and staff safety issues through the formulation of health policies, aimed to evaluate nurses’ attitudes and behaviors regarding narcotic drug safety and addiction. Methods The study was conducted in a descriptive cross-sectional design. It was carried out with 191 nurses in a public hospital between March 2023 and August 2023. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, gathering socio-demographic information and utilizing the Addictive Substance Attitude Scale. The data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA tests, and regression analysis (P

Laboratory animal nutrition plays a crucial role in ensuring the health, welfare, and scientific validity of research studies involving animals. Technological advancements in feed processing have provided researchers with innovative tools and techniques to enhance the nutritional quality and stability of laboratory animal diets. Recent developments in feed processing technology have focused on improving the precision, consistency, and nutrient bioavailability of laboratory animal diets. Techniques such as pelleting, extrusion, and coating have been utilized to create homogeneous feed formulations with controlled nutrient profiles. In addition to advances in feed processing, new feeding approaches have emerged to address the specific nutritional requirements of laboratory animals. Precision feeding technologies, incorporating real-time monitoring systems and data analytics, allow for the customization of feed formulations based on individual animal needs. Overall, the integration of technological processes and new feeding approaches in laboratory animal nutrition represents a promising avenue for advancing animal welfare, research quality, and scientific outcomes in preclinical and biomedical research. By leveraging cutting-edge feed processing techniques and tailored feeding strategies, researchers can ensure the optimal nutrition, health, and well-being of laboratory animals, fostering both ethical research practices and robust scientific results. This review provides an overview of the technological processes applied to laboratory animal feeds and introduces new feeding approaches aimed at optimizing animal health and research outcomes.

Malignant psoas syndrome (MPS) is associated with proximal lumbosacral plexopathy and is characterized by severe intractable pain, despite multimodal medical treatment. Spinal dexmedetomidine and lumbar sympathetic nerve block in combination with pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) are rarely performed for intractable lumbosacral plexopathy pain. We present a combination of spinal dexmedetomidine lumbar sympathetic nerve block and caudal-epidural PRF in the management of MPS, refractory to medical and physical treatment. A 49-year-old female with recurrent lung adenocarcinoma was admitted with shooting pain on the right side over the psoas muscle with irradiation into the right groin and weakness of quadriceps at motion. She was managing her pain with a number of opioids, including oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl, and intramuscular meperidine. The total oral morphine equivalent opioid dose equaled 460 mg. At the first admission, we successfully palliated pain with spinal dexmedetomidine and simultaneously reduced the patient’s opioid addiction. On the second admission, lumbar sympathetic nerve block at L3 with additional caudal-epidural PRF led to a significant reduction in her thigh pain visual analog scale (VAS) score to 1–2/10. In addition, improvement in quadriceps functionality and sleep quality, along with a remarkable reduction in analgesic medicine doses, earned patients high satisfaction. Our patient passed away 6 months later with average VAS severity of 4/10. Spinal dexmedetomidine, caudal-epidural PRF, and lumbar sympathetic nerve block should be added as a therapeutic option to the treatment guidelines for the management of MPS, acquired due to lumbosacral plexopathy.

There was this professor, called Mali. Actually, his name was Ali, a common enough name for a Turkish man. However, during his time as a student in France, he had [...]

Abstract Background Microplastics are ubiquitous, widespread environmental pollutants with unavoidable human exposure. Herein, it was aimed to investigate the presence of microplastics in prostate tissue. Methods Prostate tissues from 12 patients who underwent Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TUR-P) were analyzed to investigate the presence of microplastics. Initially, the prostate tissues were analyzed for microplastic particles using a light microscope after extraction. Subsequently, the chemical composition of the particles found in the prostate tissues was characterized using Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrophotometry. Results Microplastic particles of various types were detected in 6 out of 12 patients. All detected plastic particles in this study were microplastics, with sizes below 26 μm in size. These microplastics exhibited different shapes as pellets, spheres or fibers. Overall, among the 12 analyzed prostate tissue samples, four different types of plastic were identified in six samples. The most common type of microplastic detected was Polyamide (Nylon 6), found in samples from three patients. Other detected types, Polypropylene, Polyacrylic Acid and Poly (dimethylsiloxane) were each determined in samples from one patient. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate the presence of microplastics in prostate tissue, serving as an exploratory investigation, which can trigger further research to validate the results in a larger patient cohort.

This study was carried out to examine the relationship between secondary school students' problem-solving skills and scientific attitudes in terms of gender, class level and education level of the parents. In the study, correlational research model, which is among the general survey models, was employed. The sample of the study consisted of 560 students selected from the secondary schools in Afyonkarahisar Province, Turkey by using convenience sampling method. In the study, Problem Solving Inventory for Children (PSIC) and Scientific Attitude Scale (SAC) were applied to collect the data. In the analysis of the data, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way variance analysis and two-way variance analysis were performed. As a result of the analyses, a negative and low-level relationship was found between secondary school students' problem-solving skills and scientific attitudes. While there was a negative and low-level relationship in terms of female students, it was found that this relationship was not significant for male students. When analyzed in terms of class level and maternal education level, it was concluded that this relationship was not significant. It was concluded that problem solving skills and gender did not have a significant and common effect on students' scientific attitudes. Similarly, it was concluded that problem solving skills and class level did not have a significant and common effect on students' scientific attitudes. There was no significant difference between middle school students' scientific attitudes in terms of problem-solving skill levels. In addition, it was determined that students' problem-solving skills were not a significant predictor of their scientific attitude.

Abstract The agricultural sector, particularly in emerging economies like Africa, faces significant challenges in weed management, directly impacting yield, production costs, and crop quality. Accurate and early weed identification is pivotal for effective weed control strategies. In response, our research extends beyond conventional deep learning methodologies by integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) for enhanced plant seedling classification. Leveraging a dataset of 5539 images across 12 plant species, including essential crops such as Common Wheat, Maize, and Sugar Beet, alongside nine weed types, we embarked on a comprehensive analysis employing four advanced CNN architectures: ResNet-50, Inception-V3, VGG-16, and EfficientNet-B0. Our approach involved initial model training and validation, followed by the application of GWO for feature optimization and SVM for refined classification. Post-optimization, the EfficientNet-B0 model emerged as the frontrunner, showcasing exemplary performance with a remarkable training accuracy of 99.82% and a test accuracy of 98.83%. These results highlight the efficacy of combining CNNs with evolutionary algorithms and machine-learning techniques in agricultural applications. This study illustrates the capabilities of CNNs in agricultural contexts and emphasizes the added value of optimization algorithms in improving model performance. The integration of GWO and SVM presents a significant advancement in plant seedling classification, offering a powerful tool for precision agriculture. Our findings hold great promise for enhancing crop management and yield in Africa and other emerging economies, contributing to the evolution of sustainable farming practices through innovative technological solutions.

Summary: Synucleinopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases defined by the presence of α-synuclein inclusions. The location and composition of these α-synuclein inclusions directly correlate to the disease pattern. The inclusions in Multiple System Atrophy are located predominantly in oligodendrocytes and are rich in a second protein, p25α. P25α plays a key role in neuronal myelination by oligodendrocytes. In healthy oligodendrocytes, there is little to no α-synuclein present. If aberrant α-synuclein is present, p25α leaves the myelin sheaths and quickly co-aggregates with α-synuclein, resulting in the disruption of the cellular process and ultimately cell death. Herein, we report that p25α is susceptible for 20S proteasome-mediated degradation and that p25α induces α-synuclein aggregation, resulting in proteasome impairment and cell death. In addition, we identified small molecules 20S proteasome enhancers that prevent p25α induced α-synuclein fibrilization, restore proteasome impairment, and enhance cell viability.

Background We sought to measure frequency of achieving an optimal outcome after stage 1 palliation (S1P) for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and variants, determine factors associated with optimal outcomes, and compare outcomes after stage 2 palliation (S2P) using the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative database (2008–2016). Methods and Results This is a retrospective cohort study with optimal outcome defined a priori as meeting all of the following: (1) discharge after S1P in

Introduction In paediatric oncology, ‘breaking bad news’—BBN—like cancer diagnosis is perceived as particularly challenging. Enabling a trialogue between children with their relatives and health professionals requires profound communication skills. Lacking the skills, experience or adequate support tools might result in negative consequences for both paediatric oncologists as BBN transmitters and BBN receivers as children with cancer and their relatives.In contrast to oncology for adults, multiperspective studies that explore BBN experience and specific support needs are rare, especially in Germany. Systematically developed and practically piloted support instruments, which address the specific needs of paediatric oncology, are missing.Objective To systematically design and mature in practice an orientation compass for preparing, delivering and following up on BBN conversations in paediatric oncology—so-called Orientierungskompass zur Übermittlung schwerwiegender Nachrichten in der Kinderonkologie (OKRA).Methods and analysis OKRA is based on a QUAL-quant mixed study design, comprising two phases. Four groups will contribute (1) experts through personal experience (representatives for children receiving BBN and their parents), (2) medical care providers and representatives of national medical societies, (3) ambulant psychosocial/psychological support providers and (4) researchers. In phase 1, multiperspective knowledge is generated through a participatory group Delphi that involves in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaires. This process culminates in formulating theses for a high-quality BBN process (output phase 1). In phase 2, based on the theses, a pilot orientation compass is designed. Through iterative cycles with the participatory action research method, this instrument will be piloted in three paediatric oncological settings and consequently optimised.Ethics and dissemination OKRA was approved on 19 September 2023 by the ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne (No. 23-1187). After project completion, the OKRA compass will be distributed to multidisciplinary paediatric oncology teams throughout Germany.Trial registration number DRKS00031691.

Introduction: Elevating Voices, Addressing Depression, Toxic Stress and Equity (EleVATE) is a group prenatal care (GC) model designed to improve pregnancy outcomes and promote health equity for Black birthing people. This article outlines the foundational community-engaged process to develop EleVATE GC and pilot study results. Methods: We used community-based participatory research principles and the Ferguson Commission Report to guide creation of EleVATE GC. The intervention, designed by and for Black birthing people, centers trauma-informed care, antiracism, and integrates behavioral health strategies into group prenatal care to address unmet mental health needs. Using a convenience sample of patients seeking care at one of three safety-net health care sites, we compared preterm birth, small for gestational age, depression scores, and other pregnancy outcomes between patients in individual care (IC), CenteringPregnancy? (CP), and EleVATE GC. Results: Forty-eight patients enrolled in the study (n=11 IC; n=14 CP; n=23 EleVATE GC) and 86% self-identified as Black. Patients participating in group prenatal care (EleVATE GC or CP) were significantly less likely to experience a preterm birth