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Addressing the immigrant screening gap: A protocol for a systematic review on interventions to enhance colorectal cancer screening among immigrants in the United States

Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are lower among immigrant populations in the United States (US) than the general population. Immigrant communities face structural barriers that disincentivize their engagement from CRC screening. A growing body of literature has evaluated the effects of interventions aimed at increasing CRC screening engagement among various immigrant groups, but there has not yet been a systematic synthesis of this literature. Objective This review will systematically evaluate quantitative studies assessing the effects of interventions designed to increase CRC screening rates among immigrant populations residing in the US. Methods We will conduct a comprehensive search of English language peer-reviewed and grey literature using specific keywords and database-specific structured vocabulary on interventions to improve CRC screening rates among immigrants published in 7 databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library (Wiley), CINAHL (EBSCO), ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), and Web of Science) from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2024. All studies will be imported into Covidence. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full-texts for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pilot screenings and consensus discussions will ensure accuracy and agreement in study selection and data extraction. Iterative data extraction of eligible studies will include critical appraisal using the Risk of Bias 2 (ROB2) for randomized controlled trials, while other study designs will be appraised with the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Data synthesis will disaggregate pooled effect estimates by ethnicity, to the extent possible. The study protocol was pre-registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42023488183. Expected outputs This systematic review aims to generate an exhaustive summary of the evidence base, including a description of the intervention methods and settings, target populations, recruitment and retention strategies, partnerships and collaborations, and reported outcomes. The results will provide actionable recommendations for public health practitioners, healthcare providers, and policymakers developing tailored interventions and policies aimed at improving CRC screening uptake among diverse immigrant populations in the US.

Arthroscopic versus open fixation for medial malleolus fractures improves trauma response and bone healing

In vitro activity of seven antifungal agents against Fusarium oxysporum and expression of related regulatory genes

Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum) is one of the main pathogenic fungus causing maize ear rot. In this study, the aims were to screen highly effective pesticides for F. oxysporum, reduce peasants’ misunderstandings about pesticide application, improve disease control levels, and enhance economic efficiency. The toxicity of seven fungicides (carbendazim, pyraclostrobin, epoxiconazole, tricyclazole, azoxystrobin, difenoconazole, quintozene) on F. oxysporum were determined by the mycelium growth rate and the spore germination method, and single and compound fungicides with effective inhibitory effects on mycelial growth were screened. The RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of chitin synthetase V (ChsV), folate uptake block T (FUBT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase dismutase (POD) genes in pathogenic bacteria treated with the selected agents and combination of fungicides. The results showed that all seven fungicides had inhibitory effects on mycelial growth hyphae and spore germination of F. oxysporum. Epoxiconazole had the strongest inhibitory effect on mycelium growth and spore germination of F. oxysporum, with effective concentrations (EC50) of 0.047 and 0.088 μg/mL, respectively. The combination of pyraclostrobin and difenoconazole (P&D, combined at a mass ratio of 7:3) had the best inhibitory effect, with an EC50 of 0.094 μg/mL and an SR of 2.650. Epoxiconazole and the combination P&D could inhibit mycelial growth and spore germination by down-regulating ChsV, FUBT, and POD, causing oxidative stress in F. oxysporum, and reducing the occurrence of maize ear rot.

Author Correction: Time to recovery and its predictors among neonates undergone phototherapy at Comprehensive Specialized hospitals of the Northwest Ethiopia

Factors influencing the guest-host knowledge transfer for pro-poor tourism in China’s western ethnic-minority areas

The crucial transfer of knowledge through pro-poor tourism enables poor people to enhance their own endogenous-development dynamics. However, it is difficult to use existing knowledge transfer theories to explain the behavior of ethnic-minority villagers in western China, due to low levels of education and smallholder household-based tourism operations. The present study uses MOA theory to examine the influence of motivation, opportunity, ability, and trust on the guest–host transfer of knowledge in ethnic-minority villages in western China. Here, knowledge transfer opportunities are shown to be the main driver of the MOA framework, positively affecting the knowledge transfer effect. Knowledge transfer motivation and knowledge absorptive capacity have an indirect, positive impact on knowledge transfer opportunities. Although local people have a high level of trust in external knowledge sources, trust does not have significant moderating effect between knowledge transfer opportunities and effects. These findings can be used to strengthen the transfer of valuable knowledge to villagers and to cultivate rural tourism talents.

Real-time airway monitoring system using binary classification model based on respiratory sounds of rabbits with a tracheostomy tube

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy devices applied after Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment

Introduction A portable, single-use incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (iNPWT) device could be used directly on the wound incision following Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA). In order to support local decision-making in a French university hospital for the adoption of such device in this indication, a three-dimensional (clinical, economic and organizational) Hospital Based-Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) was conducted. Materials and methods The HB-HTA was based on: a literature review; results from the PICO-PTC single-site randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrial.gov identifier NCT03886818); and semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals. Results Two comparative retrospective cohort studies were retrieved from the literature review. They suggested a decreased incidence of wound healing complications with iNPWT compared to standard dressings, although no difference was found in the PICO-PTC study. There was no significant difference in the PICO-PTC study on Medicine-Surgery-Obstetrics hospital costs between the two strategies: €10,639.65 [CI 95% (7,997.45; 17,988.68)] in the iNPWT group versus €9,672.59 [CI 95% (7,966.29; 13,393.65)] in the standard dressings group. Adoption of this prophylactic strategy would result in an approval to pay a 1.5% supplement to the Medicine-Surgery-Obstetrics hospitalization costs. It could also improve professionals’ workflow, and facilitate wound healing monitoring for nurses in orthopedic departments compared to standard dressings. Conclusion The clinical effectiveness of the iNPWT single-use portable device could not be demonstrated compared to standard dressings for prophylactic use, in terms of the incidence of wound healing complications, in patients scheduled for TAA and not selected on the basis of risk factors. However, as this strategy may bring organizational benefits and has not been associated with significant economic costs, the adoption of iNPWT in orthopedic departments could be made according to the surgeon’s clinical expertise, based for instance on the patient’s risk factors for complications.

The developing role of NRF2 and HMOX1 in treatment response of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Different results despite high homology: Comparative expression of human and murine DNase1 in Pichia pastoris

The prolonged persistence of extracellular chromatin and DNA is a salient feature of diseases like cystic fibrosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and COVID-19 associated microangiopathy. Since deoxyribonuclease I (DNase1) is a major endonuclease involved in DNA-related waste disposal, recombinant DNase1 is an important therapeutic biologic. Recently we described the production of recombinant murine DNase1 (rmDNase1) in Pichia pastoris by employing the α-mating factor prepro signal peptide (αMF-SP) a method, which we now applied to express recombinant human DNASE1 (rhDNASE1). In addition to an impaired cleavage of the αMF pro-peptide, which we also detected previously for mDNase1, expression of hDNASE1 resulted in a 70–80 times lower yield although both orthologues share a high structural and functional homology. Using mDNase1 expression as a guideline, we were able to increase the yield of hDNASE1 fourfold by optimizing parameters like nutrients, cultivation temperature, methanol supply, and codon usage. In addition, post-translational import into the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) was changed to co-translational import by employing the signal peptide (SP) of the α-subunit of the Oligosaccharyltransferase complex (Ost1) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These improvements resulted in the purification of ~ 8 mg pure mature rmDNase1 and ~ 0.4 mg rhDNASE1 per Liter expression medium of a culture with a cell density of OD600 =  40 in 24 hours. As a main cause for the expression difference, we assume varying folding abilities to reach a native conformation, which induce an elevated unproductive unfolded protein response within the rER during hDNASE1 expression. Concerning functionality, rhDNASE1 expressed in P. pastoris is comparable to Pulmozyme®, i.e. rhDNASE1 produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by Roche - Genentech. With respect to the biochemical effectivity, rmDNase1 is superior to rhDNASE1 due to its higher specific activity in the presence of Ca2 + /Mg2 + and the lower inhibition by monomeric actin.

SVF-gel application for the alleviation of full-thickness skin graft contraction: an experimental study in mice

Exploring mechanical work changes in controlled ankle motion (CAM) boot walking: The effects of gait speed and shoe levelling

Preferred walking speed (PWS) is lower when wearing a controlled ankle motion (CAM) boot, which can potentially make comparisons between footwear conditions difficult. Standardising walking speed accounts for this but lacks the ecological validity of PWS. The aim of this study was to compare acute biomechanical responses to CAM boot wear when walking is freely chosen and when it is controlled. Twelve healthy participants walked on an instrumented treadmill at their PWS and at three standardised speeds: 3, 4, and 5 km/h. They did so in three footwear conditions: (1) with a Rebound® Air Walker CAM boot on the right leg, (2) with a Rebound® Air Walker on the right leg and an Evenup Shoelift™ on the left, and (3) in normal footwear. Comparisons between footwear conditions were largely similar in the ipsilateral limb at PWS and at the standardised speeds, which included a decrease in total mechanical work and ankle joint work during CAM boot wear (p < 0.001). At the standardised speeds, total mechanical work and hip joint work were lower during CAM boot wear than wearing normal shoes and the Evenup Shoelift™ (p ≤ 0.014), although there were no differences between footwear conditions at PWS (p ≥ 0.095). As such, acute responses to CAM boot wear are different when speed is standardised compared to when speed is freely chosen, meaning conclusions cannot necessarily be transferred between approaches. Based on these differences observed between walking speeds, it would be prudent for future studies to try to maintain ecological validity by using PWS.

Predicting lateral pelvic lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer patients using MRI radiomics: a multicenter retrospective study

Modifying the platform-mediated avoidance task: A new protocol to study active avoidance within a social context in rats

The platform-mediated active avoidance (PMA) task has been used to study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of a decision-based form of active avoidance. Across 10 days of PMA conditioning, rats learn to avoid a tone-signaled footshock by moving to a safe platform at the cost of forfeiting sucrose reward. Prior studies utilizing the PMA task involved rats learning to avoid alone in a solitary context, but we have recently modified the task to include a social context to determine how social cues may influence PMA acquisition. Additionally, we report novel measures of social interaction that occur during Social Partner PMA conditioning. This protocol provides a detailed methodology for studying active avoidance within solitary and social contexts, as well as key considerations when employing the PMA task.

Remote sensing mapping of structural and hydrothermal alteration in the mougueur inlier, Eastern high atlas, Morocco

Abstract Located north of the town of Gouramma, the Mougueur inlier in the eastern High Atlas of Morocco a part of the Hercynian chain of the Paleozoic Era. It is known for its richness in carbonate vein mineralization (e.g., siderite, ankerite) and Zn–Pb (± Fe, Cu, and Mg) association. The current research integrated remote sensing datasets (e.g., ASTER and Landsat OLI), field observations and petrographic investigations to explore structural and hydrothermal alteration zones linked to the mineralization. Our results revealed that the key tectonic structures trend NE to E–W, control the distribution of mineralization in the Mougueur Inleir and meso-cenozoic cover. Hydrothermal alteration mapping identified abundant iron-bearing minerals and quartz, closely associated with fault zones sush as Tit N’Ali, Tijane, Talharit, and Tamelahl. A spatial overlay analysis of alteration indices, lineaments, geological field surveys shows that anomaly zones correlate strongly with known mineralized structures, suggesting that mineralization is primarily structurally controlled. This integrated methodology demonstrates the power of remote sensing techniques for identifying potential exploration targets and offers a promising tool for future mineral prospecting in similar terrains.

Salivary biomarkers of tactical athlete readiness: A systematic review

Tactical athletes must maintain high levels of physical and cognitive readiness to handle the rigorous demands of their roles. They frequently encounter acute stressors like sleep deprivation, muscle fatigue, dehydration, and harsh environmental conditions, which can impair their readiness and increase the risk of mission failure. Given the challenging conditions these athletes face, there is a vital need for non-invasive, rapidly deployable point-of-care assessments to effectively measure the impact of these stressors on their operational readiness. Salivary biomarkers are promising in this regard, as they reflect physiological changes due to stress. This systematic review aims to investigate salivary markers as potential indicators for readiness, specifically focusing on their sensitivity to acute stressors like sleep deprivation, dehydration, environmental factors, and muscle fatigue. A search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO; registration #: CRD42022370388). The primary inclusion criteria were the use of a quantitative analysis to assess salivary biomarkers changes in response to acute stressors. Risk of bias and methodological quality were evaluated with the modified Downs and Black checklist. Hormonal salivary biomarkers were the most commonly studied biomarkers. Muscle damage and fatigue were the most frequently studied acute stressors, followed by sleep deprivation, multiple stressors, dehydration, and environmental. Biomarkers such as creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, uric acid, cortisol, testosterone, and the testosterone to cortisol ratio were indicative of muscle damage. Dehydration influenced osmolality, total protein, flow rate, and chloride ion concentrations. Sleep deprivation affected proteins, peptides, and alpha-amylase levels. Environmental stressors, such as hypoxia and cold temperatures, altered cortisol, pH, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-s), and salivary IgA levels. The current body of research highlights that various salivary biomarkers react to acute stressors, and proteomic panels appear promising for predicting physical and cognitive outcomes relevant to the operational readiness of tactical athletes.

Investigating olive pomace activated carbon for degrading organic dyes in water

Provision of employment-related settlement services and relationship with paid employment for immigrants in Canada

Immigrant workers are overly represented in high risk and precarious jobs that are not commensurate with their background, skills and experience. Some evidence exists to suggest that access to employment-related (ER) supports and services in the community can help leverage job opportunities. This study examined the association between use of government-funded ER services and paid employment of immigrants to Canada. ER service records were linked with immigration and taxation records for individuals who immigrated to Canada between 2015–2017. The cohort was restricted to immigrants with no paid employment in their year of landing to examine the direct impact of ER service (measured as any ER service, intensity of service and type of ER service) on subsequent employment. The outcome of subsequent employment in the year following ER service provision was estimated using adjusted logistic regression models. Immigrants displayed a higher odds of paid employment the year following the ER service for individuals that accessed any ER service (OR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.49 to 1.65), across the measures of ER intensity (ranging from OR = 1.26; 95%CI, 1.09 to 1.45 at the lowest intensity percentile to OR = 2.21; 95% CI, 1.95 to 2.52 at the highest intensity percentile), and by type of ER service (essential skills and aptitude training, OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.96; short-term intervention, OR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.49 to 1.66; long-term intervention, OR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.95) compared to immigrants who did not access ER services. This study finds that access to an ER service is associated with paid employment. It highlights key services that should be promoted to facilitate employment integration but also potential barriers to integration that warrant further investigations.

Biosynthesis of magnetic ZnO@Fe2O3 nanocomposites decorated with Ag/AgCl using Hormoz Island’s red soil and Avicennia marina leaf extract

Non-menstrual pelvic symptoms and women’s quality of life: a cross-sectional observational study

Background Endometriosis-related pain duration and burden are associated with poorer psychological well-being and health-related quality of life (HQoLife). This study aimed to compare the relative burdens of 4 different non-menstrual pelvic symptoms on HQoLife: Deep dyspareunia (DDyspareunia), non-menstrual pelvic pain (NMPelvicPain), non-menstrual dyschezia (NMDyschezia) and non-menstrual dysuria (NMDysuria). Subjects and Methods This is a pre-planned cross-sectional interdisciplinary retrospective observational study. The sample consists of 369 consecutive patients referred for minimally invasive surgery at a private institution. DDyspareunia, NMPelvicPain, NMDyschezia and NMDysuria were assessed with a self-reported 11-point (0–10) numeric rating scale (NRS). The Short Form 36 (SF36) and Endometriosis Health Profile 30 (EHP30) full questionnaires were applied to assess HQoLife. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare the 4 explanatory variables (correlates), which were tested for 19 different HQoLife domains. Results Multivariate exploratory analyses indicated that NMPelvicPain and NMDyschezia may be the non-menstrual pelvic symptoms that most impact the HQoLife of women with endometriosis, an association that was observed in practically all domains of both the SF36 and the EHP30 questionnaires. DDyspareunia was the most important symptom for the sexual intercourse EHP30 domain. Despite the biological plausibility and statistical significance found in virtually all models, their low explanatory power suggests the existence of additional major covariates (not contemplated in this study). Moreover, the presence of significant positive intercepts (P<0.001) implies that some HQoLife impairment is expected for any hypothetical woman with endometriosis, even if all 4 correlates’ scores are equal to zero. Our findings support the hypothesis that the importance of bowel symptoms has been underestimated in endometriosis assessment whereas the burden of other potential covariates should not be neglected. Conclusion DDyspareunia was the most important non-menstrual pelvic symptoms for the EHP30Sex domain, but NMPelvic Pain and NMDyschezia were the most important for overall HQoLife.

A conceptual framework for analysis of environmental security and development based on source and flow concepts

Abstract Researches on security and development (SD) is interrelated and essential for ecosystem especially human survival but commonly separated and diverged to multiple scales and fields. Thus, a more integral and fundamental theoretical framework is required for following better analysis of both of the dual concepts, like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals need the more innovative interdisciplinary theoretical framework to face comprehensive challenges of both sustainable development and security in nowadays. Therefore, this research aims to integrate the study of the two aspects and proposes an abstract, general fundamental framework for analysis of environmental impact on them. Based on theory of Environmental Economic Geography (EEG), Ecosystem Services (ES) and concepts of ‘Source-Access-Flow’ (SAF), ‘Cell model’ with its ‘Cell Compass’ approach for analysis of environmental spatial pattern and corresponding strategies was established for such framework. The analysis results of Cell model classified and ranked different typical environmental patterns as well as corresponding actions, so as to address environmental pattern assessment and optimize strategies for better development situation. Further, possible changes were discussed and calculation methods of development level and efficiency were defined.