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Inter-reader agreement for diagnosing thymic cysts on chest MRI in two tertiary referral centers
Burnout among intensivists and critical care fellows in South Korea: Current status and associated factors
Burnout among critical care physicians is an important issue that affects patient care and staff well-being. This study, conducted by the Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine, aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among intensivists and critical care fellows in South Korea. From May to July 2019, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 51 hospitals and 79 intensive care units offering subspecialty training in critical care medicine. Invitations were sent by email and text, and responses were collected using NownSurvey and Google Forms. Of the 502 invited participants, 253 responded (response rate: 50.4%). Significant contributing factors of burnout included being in an intensivist position (assistant professor/fellow) (odds ratio [OR], 3.916; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.485–10.327; p = 0.006), working in a medical ICU (OR, 4.557; 95% CI, 1.745–11.900; p = 0.002), the number of stay-home night calls per month (OR, 1.070; 95% CI, 1.005–1.139; p = 0.034), and recent conflicts with colleagues (OR, 5.344; 95% CI, 1.140–25.051; p = 0.033). Similar factors were found to influence severe levels of burnout. This nationwide study indicates that a significant proportion of critical care physicians in South Korea experience burnout. Strategies to reduce overtime and workplace conflict are imperative to reduce burnout among these physicians and protect their mental health. Future research should explore targeted interventions for these specific factors.
Error fields: personalized robotic movement training that augments one’s more likely mistakes
Armed violent conflict and healthcare-seeking behavior for maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Background Over 630 million women and children worldwide have been displaced by conflict or live dangerously close to conflict zones. While the adverse effects of physical destruction on healthcare delivery are relatively well understood, the effects on healthcare-seeking behavior remain underexplored, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to better understand the interconnections and knowledge gaps between exposure to armed violent conflicts and healthcare-seeking behaviors for maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Five key electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycNET, and African Journals Online) were s earched for peer-reviewed publications between 2000 and 2022. The review was designed according to PRISMA-P statement and the protocol was registered with PROSPERO database. The methodological quality and risks of bias were appraised using GRADE. A data extraction instrument was modelled along the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination of Systematic Reviews. Result The search results yielded 1,148 publications. Only twenty-one studies met the eligibility criteria, reporting healthcare-seeking behaviors for maternal and child health. Of the twenty-one studies, seventeen (81.0%) reported maternal health behaviors such as antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, postnatal care services, and family planning. Nine studies (42.8%) observed behaviors for child health such as vaccination uptake, case management for pneumonia, diarrhea, malnutrition, and cough. While conflict exposure is generally associated with less favorable healthcare-seeking behaviors, some of the studies found improved health outcomes. Marital status, male partner attitudes, education, income and poverty levels were associated with healthcare-seeking behavior. Conclusion There is a need for multifaceted interventions to mitigate the impact of armed violent conflict on healthcare-seeking behavior, given its overall negative effects on child and maternal healthcare utilization. While armed violent conflict disproportionately affects children’s health compared to maternal health, it is noteworthy that exposure to such conflicts may inadvertently also lead to positive outcomes. Prospero registration number CRD42023484004 .
Optimal multiobjective design of an autonomous hybrid renewable energy system in the Adrar Region, Algeria
Multilevel analysis of factors associated with suicide attempts: Evidence from 2022/2023 Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey
Background This issue represents a major global public health concern, accounting for approximately 703,000 deaths each year. Despite Mozambique having the 9th highest suicide rate in the world and the highest in Africa, there is no national data quantifying the burden of suicide attempts. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of suicide attempts and identify individual and community-level factors associated with them using mixed-effects logistic regression. This study is crucial for developing early interventions, which can help reduce the risk of suicide and enhance overall mental health outcomes for young people. Method The data used in this study were drawn from the 2022/2023 Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS). A weighted sample of 10,909 individuals (7,716 males and 3,149 females) aged 15–29 was included. The fitted model was evaluated using AIC and BIC, with the model having the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) is another statistical measure used to assess the quality of a model, similar to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The results of the final model were presented as Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Variables were considered statistically significant if their p-value was less than 0.05 in the multivariable analysis. Results About 3.60% (95% CI: 3.33%-4.03%) of participants were seriously considered suicide attempt in the past 12 months of before the survey. Educational status, occupation, marital status, depression, anxiety, and geographic region were significant factors associated with suicidal attempt. Conclusion The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the intricate relationships between suicide attempts and their predictors. Additionally, the results highlight the need for targeted interventions and mental health promotion strategies that consider the identified individual and community-level factors to reduce suicide rates in Mozambique.
CADD based designing and biological evaluation of novel triazole based thiazolidinedione coumarin hybrids as antidiabetic agent
Correction: Evaluation of TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 Cytokine Production and Their Correlation with Genotype Variants amongst Tuberculosis Patients and Their Household Contacts
Halodule uninervis extract facilitates the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles with anticancer activity
Abstract Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been utilized in a plethora of applications due to their unique optical properties, high stability, and great biocompatibility. The use of plant extracts in the biosynthesis of AuNPs has emerged as an eco-friendly, inexpensive, and nontoxic approach. In the present study, the ethanolic extract of Halodule uninervis (HUE) was used for the first time in the green synthesis of AuNPs. The biogenic AuNPs were characterized using several spectroscopic and microscopic techniques and their anticancer potential was investigated. They displayed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 550 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis proved the synthesis of small and spherical AuNPs with a zeta potential of − 27.66 mV. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern established the crystalline nature of AuNPs. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) data confirmed the role of HUE in the capping and stabilization of the manufactured AuNPs. The produced AuNPs exhibited anticancer activity against several human cancer cell lines, highlighting their potential efficacy as anticancer therapeutic agents. Further analysis revealed that this observed cytotoxicity is mediated via the induction of apoptosis. Overall, our data validate the effective use of H. uninervis extract in the biosynthesis of AuNPs with significant biological properties.
Simulation study for the energy and position reconstruction performances of the beam monitoring system of Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy using GEANT4
Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy is operated in several countries because of its advantage to have high dose concentration and/or high linear energy transfer (LET). To estimate the beam performance of Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy, we target the 1% energy and 1 mm2 position resolutions of the beam monitoring system. The beam monitoring system consists of a scintillation crystal and fiber hodoscope. The scintillation crystal is 20 × 20 × 120mm3 and its candidates are LYSO, CsI and BGO. The fiber hodoscope is composed of 1 mm thickness scintillation fibers and the fibers are arranged vertically for 2D reconstruction. With GEANT4 simulation, we verify the performance of our beam monitoring system. The energy response of the LYSO and BGO scintillators is linear within ± 2%. The energy resolution of each crystal candidate achieves the goal; LYSO (0.061%), CsI (0.20%) and BGO (0.10%). The position is reconstructed via fiber hodoscope within 5% uncertainty.
A novel combination of treatments for acute anterior disc displacement without reduction of temporomandibular joint
Spatiotemporal simulation of sustainable development based on ecosystem services under climate change
This study explores the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of ecosystem services (ESs) in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan under the backdrop of climate change. The study innovatively calculates the sustainable development goals (SDG) index based on ecosystem services (ESs). It employs the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model to simulate future land use changes (LUCs) and uses the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model to assess ESs under different scenarios. This research systematically evaluates the ESs and SDGs in karst regions within the context of climate change. The results indicate that: (1) Under all three scenarios in 2035, the trend of LUCs in the karst area of southeastern Yunnan is highly consistent, though the intensity and spatial configuration vary significantly. The least reduction in arable land area occurs under the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) 126 scenario, while water bodies and construction land show varying degrees of increase; (2) Regarding ESs, both water yield and soil retention exhibit an increasing trend across all scenarios by 2035, with the most notable rise under SSP126. Conversely, habitat quality and carbon storage show a decline, with the smallest decrease also under SSP126; (3) Analyzing the SDG index, the overall value is low in 2020. In future scenarios, the SDG index increases in the southern part while decreasing in the eastern part, indicating significant differences in regional sustainable development potential. Hotspots under SSP126 and SSP245 are concentrated in the densely vegetated southwest and eastern edge areas, while cold spots are mainly found in the heavily human-impacted central Yunnan urban agglomeration and Wenshan City. This study systematically explores for the first time the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESs in the karst region of southeastern Yunnan under different climate scenarios. It provides scientific evidence for regional ecological protection and land use planning.
TNBC response to paclitaxel phenocopies interferon response which reveals cell cycle-associated resistance mechanisms
Abstract Paclitaxel is a standard of care neoadjuvant therapy for patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, it shows limited benefit for locally advanced or metastatic disease. Here we used a coordinated experimental-computational approach to explore the influence of paclitaxel on the cellular and molecular responses of TNBC cells. We found that escalating doses of paclitaxel resulted in multinucleation, promotion of senescence, and initiation of DNA damage induced apoptosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of TNBC cells after paclitaxel treatment revealed upregulation of innate immune programs canonically associated with interferon response and downregulation of cell cycle progression programs. Systematic exploration of transcriptional responses to paclitaxel and cancer-associated microenvironmental factors revealed common gene programs induced by paclitaxel, IFNB, and IFNG. Transcription factor (TF) enrichment analysis identified 13 TFs that were both enriched based on activity of downstream targets and also significantly upregulated after paclitaxel treatment. Functional assessment with siRNA knockdown confirmed that the TFs FOSL1, NFE2L2 and ELF3 mediate cellular proliferation and also regulate nuclear structure. We further explored the influence of these TFs on paclitaxel-induced cell cycle behavior via live cell imaging, which revealed altered progression rates through G1, S/G2 and M phases. We found that ELF3 knockdown synergized with paclitaxel treatment to lock cells in a G1 state and prevent cell cycle progression. Analysis of publicly available breast cancer patient data showed that high ELF3 expression was associated with poor prognosis and enrichment in programs associated with cell cycle progression. Together these analyses disentangle the diverse aspects of paclitaxel response and identify ELF3 upregulation as a putative biomarker of paclitaxel resistance in TNBC.
Study on anti-frost heave effect of new thermal insulation subgrade of highway in seasonally frozen soil regions
Frost heave is one of the important factors affecting the long-term stability and safe operation of subgrade in seasonally frozen soil regions. To investigate the anti-frost heave effect of foam concrete insulation and composite insulation structure subgrade, a multi-physics fields coupling numerical simulation was employed. From the perspective of hydrothermal process of the subgrade, the ground temperature distribution, maximum freezing depth, ice distribution, and maximum frost heave are systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the foamed concrete insulation layer subgrade exhibits a significant anti-frost heave effect. Meanwhile, to alleviate the sunny-shady slopes effect on subgrade in the seasonally frozen soils regions, the composite insulation structure combining XPS insulation board with foamed concrete insulation was recommended. Moreover, the appropriate anti-frost heave measures for subgrade are proposed, which considering the different frost heave characteristics. The findings can serve as a reference for the prevention and control of frost heave in highway subgrade and for the application of foam concrete insulation layers in seasonal frozen soil regions.
Advances in colorectal cancer diagnosis using optimal deep feature fusion approach on biomedical images
Secure and energy-efficient inter- and intra-cluster optimization scheme for smart cities using UAV-assisted wireless sensor networks
Comparative effects of gong’s mobilization and mobilization with movement in patients with adhesive capsulitis: a randomized clinical trial
Abstract Adhesive Capsulitis results in a progressive contraction of the Glenohumeral joint capsule limiting active and passive range of motion, leading to functional disabilities. Joint mobilization plays a key role in the physical therapy treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis. A relatively new technique, Gong’s Mobilization, has been introduced for the treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis. It is focused on the correction of positional faults through controlled dynamic motion of the Glenohumeral joint. The mainstay of this clinical trial is a comprehensive comparative evaluation of MWM with Gong’s Mobilization as it remains insufficiently explored. The objective of this clinical trial was to compare the effects of Gong’s Mobilization and Mobilization with Movement on pain, range of motion and functional disability in patients with Adhesive Capsulitis. In this triple blinded randomized clinical trial, sixty patients of Adhesive Capsulitis were enrolled within group A (Gong’s Mobilization) and group B (Mobilization with Movement). The treatment protocol covered 12 treatment sessions for 4 weeks. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Goniometer, and Urdu version of Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (U-SPADI) were used to assess the pain, range of motion and functional status respectively. These outcome measures were assessed at baseline, after 6 treatment sessions (2 weeks) and conclusively after 12 treatment sessions (4 weeks). For data analysis, within the group differences were measured by Repeated Measure ANOVA and across the group differences were measured by independent t test. A significant difference within the mean values of baseline, week 2 and week 4 NPRS, ROM, and SPADI score was observed in both study groups (p < 0.001). Results of independent t test used to calculate across the group differences indicated that Gong’s Mobilization was more effective in reducing disability (SPADI)(p < 0.001) and improving ROM(p < 0.001), meanwhile both groups were equally effective in reducing NPRS scores(p = 0.78). Moreover, a medium to large effect size was also observed for all the outcomes, pain(d = 0.5), ROM (d = 0.5–2.7), SPADI(d = 0.5). It was concluded that Gong’s Mobilization is more effective than Movement with Mobilization. Following four weeks of treatment, it pronounced statistically significant and clinically relevant results in improving pain, ROM and functional status of patients with Adhesive Capsulitis. Trial Registration Trial was registered in IRCT (Trial registration number: IRCT20190717044238N4 Trial Registration Date: 01-03-2023).