Browse Articles

The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases

Acute effects of unilateral conditioning activity on unilateral and bilateral jumping performance and bilateral strength asymmetry

Artificial intelligence for sustainable farming with dual branch convolutional graph attention networks in rice leaf disease detection

High-performance Fe3O4@SiO2@M-D and Fe3O4@SiO2@M-D-Cu with amine branches and decorated with copper metal for one-pot synthesis of chromene and xanthene derivatives

Distinct effects of two dominant enteric bacteria on the developmental performance of Spodoptera frugiperda and their association with physiological metabolism

Categorical frequency judgments as effective ensemble judgments for object features

Abstract The present study explored the potential of categorical frequency judgments as effective ensemble judgments, motivated by the observation that most studies on ensemble judgments have focused on univariate statistics, such as mean and variance. However, these univariate statistics may not fully capture the complexity of real-world tasks that require judgments on complex object features. In such cases, categorical statistics like mode (the most frequent instance in a set) and diversity (the number of different instances in a set) may provide more relevant information. For instance, when a speaker enters an auditorium and scans her audience, relative frequencies of different emotional expressions could be more useful than the representation of the average face with a potentially faint expression. Study 1 examined the relationship between mode judgment and diversity comparison in facial identities, while Study 2 extended the examination of mode judgments across different object categories (faces and blobs). The results indicate that categorical frequency judgments share behavioral variability across tasks and object categories, supporting their potential as effective ensemble judgments. Future research may explore how these categorical frequency judgments interact with univariate statistical judgments to enhance our understanding of ensemble judgments.

Shaking up earthquake safety in Nepal with a folk song

Experience with single transscrotal orchidopexy for palpable cryptorchidism in Vietnamese children

Abstract This study aims to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of a single transscrotal incision orchidopexy for palpable low-lying undescended testes. A prospective cohort study was conducted using a single transscrotal incision for all cases. Intraoperative clinical variables and outcomes were evaluated. Between October 2022 and February 2023, 47 patients at Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, underwent 53 orchidopexies using a single transscrotal incision. The median operative time was 25 min (range: 20–40 min). Mild scrotal edema occurred in seven patients, with no major postoperative complications. A patent processus vaginalis was detected intraoperatively in 50 cases. Fifty-two of 53 testes (98%) were positioned successfully in the scrotum, with one testis slightly higher but deemed satisfactory. The mean testicular volume increased significantly from 224.6 mm3 preoperatively to 301 mm3 postoperatively (p < 0.05). The surgical success rate was 98%, with all patients satisfied with the cosmetic outcome. No cases of hernia or hydrocele were observed postoperatively. Single transscrotal incision orchidopexy is a safe and effective technique for palpable low-lying undescended testes and should be considered as a viable alternative approach.

Author Correction: Physical analysis of high refractive index metamaterial-based radiation aggregation engineering of planar dipole antenna for gain enhancement of mm-wave applications

Glaciers are not just blocks of ice — plans to save them mustn’t overlook their hidden life

Author Correction: Reconfigurable biconcave lens antenna based on plasma technology

Measuring racial educational disparities over time amongst top achievers

Metformin prevents diabetes development in type 1 diabetes models via suppression of mTOR and STAT3 signaling in immune cells

The NADC30-like PRRSV activates the integrin αV subunit to facilitate its entry into Marc-145 cells

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a highly contagious virus that poses a significant threat to the global pig farming industry, resulting in substantial economic losses. However, owing to the high variability of PRRSV and unclear mechanisms of infection, there are currently no effective vaccines or drugs available for its prevention and control. Our previous report revealed that highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) requires the FAK-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway to facilitate its entry into cells. In this study, we further investigated whether the integrin subunit was involved in the entry process of NADC30-like PRRSV. First, the integrin subunits in Marc-145 cells were characterized by RT-PCR, and 11 of these subunits were identified, nearly all of which interacted with the integrin α V and β1 subunits to form heterodimers. Western blot analysis revealed that the integrin α V subunit was highly expressed in Marc-145 cells, and blocking this subunit with a functional antibody or siRNA significantly attenuated NADC30-like PRRSV entry without affecting virus binding. Moreover, in Marc-145 cells, NADC30-like PRRSV could activate the FAK-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway through the integrin α V subunit. Blocking the α V subunit significantly inhibited signal transduction and virus entry, and treatment of cells with the PI3K activator greatly reversed this inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the α V subunit activator manganese could also enhance NADC30-like PRRSV entry and signal transduction. In conclusion, our results revealed that NADC30-like PRRSV could activate the integrin α V subunit and subsequently transduce signals to the FAK-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway to facilitate entry into Marc-145 cells.

Tuberculosis in found dead badgers at the edge of the expanding bovine tuberculosis epidemic

Abstract Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a major disease of cattle in the UK, placing a significant economic burden on the taxpayer. The causative agent, Mycobacterium bovis, has a wide host range, including the European badger (Meles meles). While badgers have been implicated in the transmission and maintenance of infection in cattle in areas of endemic disease, their role at the edge of the endemic area is poorly understood. Here we present data on the prevalence of infection in badgers collected along the southern edge of England’s bTB epidemic. Stakeholders across five counties (Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and East Sussex) submitted found-dead badgers for post-mortem examination and testing by bacterial culture. The overall prevalence, as confirmed by whole genome sequencing, was 6.5% (28/428), ranging between 1.1% (1/88) in Hampshire and 13.0% (14/108) in Oxfordshire. The commonest M. bovis clade in badgers was B6-62, which was predominant in 4/5 counties. B6-62 was also the commonest clade found in cattle and was detected in all counties except East Sussex where, although absent from the cattle population, it was detected in local badgers. This study highlights the co-incidence of infection in badgers and cattle in parts of the southern edge area consistent with localised clustering of infection in both species.

Work attendance anxiety, precarious work schedules, and job satisfaction of essential retail workers during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Building upon the Job Demands-Resources model, this study examines the relationships among precarious work schedules, work attendance anxiety, and employer support during the early COVID-19 pandemic. For part-time retail workers, the prevalence of precarious work schedules has been a persistent problem. Additionally, new challenges such as work attendance anxiety and lack of employer support emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through an online survey on the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. Between July and August 2020, we secured a sample of U.S. part-time workers in “food and beverage retail stores” (N = 179). Using Ordinary Least Squares regression analyses, we find that work attendance anxiety, lack of control over work hours, and non-standard working hours are negatively associated with job satisfaction. In terms of employer support, personal protective equipment is associated with lower levels of work attendance anxiety and alleviates the impact of work attendance anxiety on job satisfaction. The findings provide valuable insights for employers and managers aiming to enhance job satisfaction and effectively respond to challenges posed by health crises.

An in- vitro measurement for the toxicity of peptides inhibit hexokinase II in breast cancer cell lines

Ship-pollution cuts have an electrifying effect: less lightning at sea

Multi-perspective analysis of skin microbiota in elderly eczema patients

Eczema is a common inflammatory skin disease in elderly people. It not only causes physical damage to elderly people but also seriously affects their mental health. The skin microbiota plays a vital role in the development of skin disease. However, relatively few studies have investigated the characteristics of the skin microbiota in elderly eczema patients. In this study, the differences in the composition of the skin microbiota between lesion sites and healthy sites, between exposed sites and unexposed sites, and between elderly and younger eczema sites were analyzed, aiming to characterize the skin microbiota in elderly eczema patients from multiple perspectives and provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The results indicated that the species richness of elderly eczema patients was greater than that of younger eczema patients. There was no significant difference between groups at the phylum level. At the genus level, the abundance of Staphylococcus significantly increased in the lesion sites of the elderly group. Compared with the younger eczema group, the elderly eczema group had greater abundances of Paracoccus, Deinococcus_B, Kaistella, Escherichia_710834, and Chryseobacterium_796703. These findings indicated that more attention should be given to the roles of Kaistella and Streptococcus in elderly eczema patients because Kaistella was the only genus among the 20 most abundant genera that was closely related to the EASI scores. Moreover, correlation analysis suggested that many genera had a positive relationship with Streptococcus. The results provide basic microbiological data for physicians treating elderly patients with eczema.

Phytofabricated silver nanoparticles unlock new potential in tomato plants by combating wilt infection and enhancing plant growth

Abstract The environment faces serious threats from climate change, food security challenges, and a growing population. The UN Global Goals emphasize the urgent need for sustainable agriculture to secure food production. We must adopt innovative solutions to bolster agroecological resilience and increase food output with minimal environmental impact. Here, we investigate the antimycotic properties of silver nanoparticles (PP-AgNPs) at various concentrations in controlling Fusarium wilt for tomato crop improvement under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Various instruments were utilized to characterize the green-synthesized PP-AgNPs. The results indicated a broad UV peak at 428 nm and a spherical morphology with sizes ranging from 1 to 3.5 nm, as confirmed by SEM and TEM. Analyses indicate that the antifungal potency of PP-AgNPs (150 µg/mL) against Fusarium oxysporum was found to be 80.9% (Colony diameter: DA) and 95.4% (Measured area -MA), respectively, in contrast to the control treatment. Notably, the concentration of PP-AgNPs at 100 µg/mL signified the best effect under greenhouse and field trials, reducing disease severity by 34.5% (greenhouse) and 21.8% (Field: average of both years). PP-AgNPs also render other benefits, including improved plant growth parameters, fruit weight, number, and bioactive compounds. After exposure to PP-AgNPs, there was a significant increase in the expression of pathogenicity-related (PR), and defense genes at the molecular level. The physiological and molecular data are in-line induced antioxidative and defense responses after treatment with PP-AgNPs. Furthermore, the Ag content in various parts of tomato plants reveals no adverse effect on plant yield. Current research indicates that PP-AgNPs may be an effective and sustainable product for managing diseases and increasing crop yields in agriculture.