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Preparation of functionalized polyethyleneimine materials and studies on its uranium adsorption properties
Staphylococcus aureus as an emerging model to study bacterial cell division
Effects of a single bout of high-intensity-interval exercise on cardiovascular autonomic, cerebrovascular, and cognitive function in people with spinal cord injury: A study protocol
Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently disrupts the autonomic nervous system (ANS), impairing cardiovascular function and affecting cerebrovascular and cognitive functions. While high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) is known to improve cardiovascular and cognitive functions in non-injured populations, its impact on these functions in individuals with SCI, especially those with high-level injuries, is not well-documented. Objective The primary aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of a single bout of HIIE on ANS related-cardiovascular (ANS-CV) function in individuals with chronic SCI at or above T6. The secondary aims are to examine the acute effects of the same HIIE bout on cerebrovascular dynamics and cognitive performance in this population. Methods In this prospective case-control study, 15 individuals with SCI at T6 or above and 15 age- and sex-matched uninjured controls will be assessed. Measures include heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, systolic blood pressure variability, cerebral blood flow velocities, and cognitive performance, analyzed pre- and post-HIIE. The sit-up test and face-cooling test will be used to activate the ANS-CV system. Post-exercise assessments will begin 5 minutes after completing the HIIE session. Cardiovascular testing will be conducted first and is expected to last 36 minutes. Cerebrovascular and cognitive testing will follow, starting approximately 41 minutes after the HIIE session. Covariates such as physical activity levels, pre-morbid intelligence, and psychological distress will be considered. This study has been approved by the University at Buffalo Institutional Review Board (IRB) (Approval Number: MOD00013354) and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration Number: NCT06274658). Results We hypothesize that HIIE will improve cardiovascular and cerebrovascular functions and enhance cognitive performance in the SCI group. Data will be analyzed using linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the interaction effects of group and exercise. Conclusions This study is expected to fill the knowledge gap regarding the impact of HIIE on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and cognitive functions in individuals with SCI at or above T6. The findings will provide crucial insights into immediate physiological responses while establishing foundational evidence for developing targeted, long-term exercise interventions to improve health outcomes in this population.
Corals Ba/Ca records uncover mid-twentieth century onset of land use change associated with industrial deforestation in Malaysian Borneo
Abstract The increasing demand for wood, pasture, and palm oil drives deforestation and stands as the largest threats to rainforests. Whilst many consequences of deforestation are well understood, the effects on coastal ecosystems remain less clear. This issue is very apparent in Malaysian Borneo where the lack of historical deforestation data makes characterising baseline environmental conditions challenging. Building upon a previous study testing the suitability of coral Ba/Ca records as proxies for riverine sediment, we extend these records to the late nineteenth century, revealing a significant mid-20th-century surge in riverine barium levels, and a gradual lag within records consistent with distance from the river. We argue this increase is associated with the onset of industrial deforestation supported by historical logging records as well as land use data. Ba/Ca records provide unequivocal evidence for the temporal onset and magnitude of the impact of deforestation raising baseline sediment discharge in the nearshore waters.
Post hoc analysis of a randomized placebo-controlled trial suggests potential visual benefits of branched-chain amino acids in retinitis pigmentosa
A new similitude law for testing scaled RC structures
Moving beyond the noise: geospatial modelling of urban sound environments in a sub-Saharan African city
Abstract Cities encompass a mixture of artificial, human, animal, and nature-based sounds, which through long and short-term exposures, can impact on physical and mental health. Yet, most epidemiological research has focused on only transportation noise, leaving a significant gap in understanding the health impacts of other urban sound types, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We conducted a large-scale measurement campaign in Accra, Ghana, collecting audio recordings and sound levels from 129 locations between April 2019-June 2020. We classified sound types with a neural network model and then used Random Forest land use regression to predict prevalences of different sound types citywide. We then developed a composite metric integrating sound levels with the prevalence of sound types. Road traffic sounds dominated the urban core, while human and animal sounds were prominent in high-density and peri-urban areas, respectively. Our high-resolution approach provides a comprehensive characterization of the complexity of urban sounds in a major SSA city, paving the way for new epidemiological studies on the health impacts of exposure to diverse sound sources in the future.
Screening criteria for high-quality Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. seeds from the Ordos Plateau
Integrated network pharmacology, transcriptomics, and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of Qihuang Jianpi Zishen granules against Sjögren’s syndrome
Diagnostic value of CT scan findings for anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection without ileostomy in rectal cancer
Abstract Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most serious complications following colorectal surgery, particularly in patients who have undergone low anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer without a protective ileostomy. The early detection of AL is crucial, as it can significantly impact the patient’s recovery and survival rates. This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal Computed Tomography(CT) scans in identifying AL among rectal cancer patients post-LAR. This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Tehran Surgical Research Center and included 42 patients with rectal cancer who underwent LAR after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. All patients received an abdominal CT scan on the fifth postoperative day. The presence of AL was confirmed based on clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and the necessity for reoperation. The study focused on evaluating specific CT findings, such as perianastomotic collections, to determine their correlation with AL. The analysis revealed that certain CT scan findings, particularly complex collections larger than 5 cm in proximity to the anastomosis site and signs of generalized peritonitis, were significantly associated with the presence of AL. These findings were particularly important in cases where patients also exhibited clinical symptoms like fever and leukocytosis. The presence of these CT indicators often necessitated reoperation to address the leakage. The results of this study suggest that while abdominal CT scans are a valuable tool in the early detection of AL, the interpretation of these scans must be done in conjunction with clinical symptoms. The study highlights the importance of considering the size of perianastomotic collections and the presence of systemic symptoms for an accurate and timely diagnosis of AL. Future research should further investigate the potential of CT scans in improving outcomes for patients undergoing LAR for rectal cancer.
A mixed-methods study on negative psychological states of infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment
Biophysical and structural analysis of KRAS switch-II pocket inhibitors reveals allele-specific binding constraints
Correction: Facial blushing and feather fluffing are indicators of emotions in domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus)
Acetaminophen, a new tool for the refinement of the experimental infection of toxoplasmosis in mice
Abstract In recent years, animal welfare gained increasing importance in society and especially in scientific research. It has become necessary to refine the experimental procedures as much as possible in infectiology as in our reference model, toxoplasmosis, in accordance with the 3Rs rule and various ethical concerns. Thus, the establishment of a treatment using analgesics would provide relief to animals acutely infected with Toxoplasma gondii . However, the use of analgesics should in no way alter the pathophysiology of the disease and the host immune response, so as not to interfere with the initial scientific study. Little is currently known about the use of acetaminophen (APAP) in an infectious model. In the present work, we studied the impact of APAP at a reference dose of 30 mg/kg/day in a mouse model of acute toxoplasmosis. Zoonotic, telemetric, behavioral, histological and immune parameters were analyzed to better characterize the consequences of treatment with APAP either by gavage or by self-medication in Gel Water. APAP administered by gavage did not induce cellular or tissue toxicity or alter the physiological development of the mice. In addition, the nature of Gel Water itself, independent of APAP, had an effect on the immune response. APAP improved overall well-being and slowed the onset of clinical signs without altering the physiopathology or the immune responses induced by T. gondii . These first results in mice confirmed our initial hypothesis that APAP appears to be a pharmacological tool to refine and improve animal welfare during the acute phase of toxoplasmosis. Therefore, our project has highlighted the combination of specific markers to contribute to animal welfare in mice. In the long term, the use of APAP could be extended to other infectious models with other target animal species.