Browse Articles

Safety and efficacy of oral administrated cepharanthine in non-hospitalized, asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 patients: a Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract Cepharanthine (CEP) is a natural remedy that potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 activity both in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CEP compared with placebo in adults with asymptomatic or mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we conducted a proof-of-concept, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Patients were randomized to receive 120 mg/day of CEP, 60 mg/day CEP or placebo for 5 days. Main outcome was the time from randomization to negative nasopharyngeal swab and safety. Among 262 randomized participants, 188 completed the trial among group of 120 mg/day CEP ( n  = 65), 60 mg/day CEP ( n  = 68) and placebo ( n  = 55). Neither 120 mg/day or 60 mg/day CEP shortened the time to negative significantly compared with placebo. However, 60 mg/day CEP showed a slight trend (difference=-0.77 days, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.40, 95% CI 0.97–2.01, p  = 0.072). In analysis of participants with good medication compliance, 60 mg/day CEP significantly shortened the time to negative (difference=-0.87 days, HR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.03–2.37, p  = 0.035). Adverse events were not different among the three groups, and no serious adverse events occurred. In conclusion, treatment of asymptomatic or mild Covid-19 with 120 mg/day or 60 mg/day did not shorten the time to negative significantly. However, 60 mg/day CEP showed a slight trend which needs future confirmatory trials to validate. (NCT05398705).

Young Adults Rehabilitation experiences and Needs following Stroke (YARNS): A scoping review of the rehabilitation care experiences and outcomes of young adults post-stroke

Background Stroke is one of the leading disabling conditions in the United Kingdom. While an increasing focus on the rehabilitation care for stroke survivors has been noted, practice guidelines, targets and services tend to be tailored for the elderly population rather than young adults. Objectives This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on the rehabilitation care experiences and outcomes of young adults post-stroke aged between 18 and 45 years within acute and social care settings. Methods and analysis A scoping review was conducted to identify existing practice and published academic and evidence-based literature related to the topic. Arksey and O’Malley’s framework guided the review and reporting followed the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched to capture the potentially recent and relevant literature available in English from year 2000–2022. The databases included CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, AMED, PEDro, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Grey literature was searched from the following sources: Google Scholar, websites of networks, organisations and charities related to stroke. Hand searches were performed on the reference lists of the included articles and grey literature to find relevant references. Data were extracted on young adults’ experiences of stroke and rehabilitation care and their outcomes and experiences of a particular stroke rehabilitation programme in acute and social care settings. Results Eighty-five articles were included in this review. In most instances, stroke was reported to negatively impact young adults, although positive consequences were also documented. The focus and the outcomes of stroke rehabilitation were predominantly physical especially in the areas of movement, communication and memory. Young adults experienced a lack of age-adapted stroke rehabilitation in acute and social care settings. Conclusion Our results highlight the unmet needs of young adults in their stroke recovery journey. Effective rehabilitation programmes and interventions should be developed to support young adults following stroke and meet their age-specific needs.

Association of glucose to lymphocyte ratio with the risk of death in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

On the estimation of inverse-probability-of-censoring weights for the evaluation of survival prediction error

Inverse probability weighting (IPW) is a popular method for making inferences regarding unobserved or unobservable data of a target population based on observed data. This paper considers IPW applied to right-censored time-to-event data. We investigate the behavior of the inverse-probability-of-censoring weighted (IPCW) Brier score, which is frequently used to assess the predictive performance of time-to-event models. A key requirement of the IPCW Brier score is the estimation of the censoring distribution, which is needed to compute the weights. The established paradigm of splitting a dataset into a training and a test set for model fitting and evaluation raises the question which of these datasets to use in order to fit the censoring model. There seems to be considerable disagreement between authors with regards to this issue, and no standard has been established so far. To shed light on this important question, we conducted a comprehensive experimental study exploring various data scenarios and estimation schemes. We found that it is generally of little importance which dataset is used to model the censoring distribution. However, in some circumstances, such as in the case of a covariate-dependent censoring process, a small sample size, or when dealing with noisy data, it may be advisable to use the test set instead of the training set to model the censoring distribution. A detailed set of practical recommendations concludes our paper.

Fragment optimized chalcone derivatives targeting OmpA protein as a therapeutic approach against multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

GGSYOLOv5: Flame recognition method in complex scenes based on deep learning

The continuous development of the field of artificial intelligence, not only makes people’s lives more convenient but also plays a role in the supervision and protection of people’s lives and property safety. News of the fire is not uncommon, and fire has become the biggest hidden danger threatening the safety of public life and property. In this paper, a deep learning-based flame recognition method for complex scenes, GGSYOLOv5, is proposed. Firstly, a global attention mechanism (GAM) was added to the CSP1 module in the backbone part of the YOLOv5 network, and then a parameterless attention mechanism was added to the feature fusion part. Finally, packet random convolution (GSConv) was used to replace the original convolution at the output end. A large number of experiments show that the detection accuracy rate is 4.46% higher than the original algorithm, and the FPS is as high as 64.3, which can meet the real-time requirements. Moreover, the algorithm is deployed in the Jetson Nano embedded development board to build the flame detection system.

Association between adiponectin single nucleotide polymorphisms and the risk of diabetic polyneuropathy

Abstract Genetic factors play a significant role in the occurrence and clinical course of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This research aimed to search the influence of adiponectin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the risk of developing and the severity of DPN in Egyptian patients. Adiponectin SNPs were genotype in 360 participants comprising diabetic sufferers with and without peripheral neuropathy and healthy volunteers via the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) approach. Regarding the + 45 T/G SNP, the TG/ and GG genotypes and the G allele were linked to an rised risk of DPN by comparing the DPN group with both the control and diabetic patients without peripheral neuropathy (DWPN) groups, and when comparing the DWPN group with the control group. Concerning + 276 G/T SNP, the GT genotype and T allele were linked to a declined risk of occuring DPN when comparing the DPN group with both other groups. Patients with DPN had greater frequencies of the GA genotype of the − 11,391 G/A SNP than individuals in the control group, while patients with DPN had greater frequencies of the AA genotype than patients in the DWPN group. Regarding clinic-pathological features, a meaningful rise in the mean values of fasting blood glucose (FBG), duration of the disease, and Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Severity Score (TCSS) were noted in the + 45 GG genotype and G allele carriers. Contrariwise, the + 276 TT genotype carriers had lower mean values for the same clinic-pathological features. For the T allele carriers, the same results were observed in case of duration of the disease and TCSS value. Our results concluded that adiponectin + 45 T/G SNP could be a risk factor considering DPN and the severity of the disease. The − 11391G/A SNP might be associated with DPN. In addition, + 276 G/T SNP could be a protective factor regarding DPN and the severity of the disease.

Prevalence, outcome and conduct of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation in government hospitals of Nepal

Introduction Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an evidence-based intervention that saves lives. In low- and middle-income countries like Nepal, the occurrence of the problem and its outcome are seldom studied. The study aims to highlight the prevalence, performance, and outcome of CPR in government hospitals of Nepal. Methods A mixed method study was done for two months in central and provincial government hospitals of Nepal. A total of 80 resuscitations were evaluated using a questionnaire based on the American Heart Association 2020 guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An in-depth interview was conducted with 15 active participants of the resuscitation in different sites. Thematic analysis was done using the framework of the chain of survival of arrest victims. Results The overall prevalence of CPR was found to be 1.92% [95% CI: 0.01,0.02] with 5.4% in central hospitals and 0.65% in provincial hospitals with 60% cardiac arrests occurring in the intensive care unit. Estimated time from recognition of the arrest to initiating CPR was 1.9 ±1.4 minutes. Asystole 66.25% was the commonest arrest rhythm and 21.25% had difficulty interpreting rhythm. Only 11.25% of the victims had return of spontaneous circulation and were subsequently transferred for post-arrest care. The qualitative analysis highlighted the lack of trained staff, a dedicated system, feedback mechanism, and provision of post-arrest care. Conclusion Across various level of Nepal’s healthcare system, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is prevalent with poor performance and outcome. To improve outcomes, it is essential to implement standardized procedures and ensure high quality resuscitation delivery before and after the event supported by well-trained healthcare personnel and adequate infrastructure.

Localization and detection of deepfake videos based on self-blending method

The mediating role of workplace milieu resources on the relationship between emotional intelligence and burnout among leaders in social care

Background This study investigated the connection between emotional intelligence and burnout through the mediating role of workplace milieu resources (a sense of community and mutual trust between employees) among social care leaders in Hungary utilizing the Job Demand-Resources model as a reference. The study evaluated emotional intelligence across three dimensions: understanding our emotions, understanding others’ emotions, and positive emotional appraisal. Methods A cross-sectional and quantitative study was conducted from 11th April to 30th November 2019 targeting Hungarian social care leaders. Participants (N = 547) were recruited non-randomly trough a training organized for them. Data collection involved sociodemographic questions, the Assessing Emotions Scale and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and three saturated serial mediations (ML with percentile bootstrap) were implemented. During the mediations, one dimension of emotional intelligence was used as a predictor in each model with the sense of community and mutual trust as serial mediators, and burnout as the outcome. Results The results confirmed the role of the leader’s emotional intelligence in creating a supportive workplace atmosphere and its indirect effect on burnout through these workplace milieu resources, while its direct effect was found not to be substantial. Among the three aspects of emotional intelligence, positive appraisal had the largest effect on burnout. Conclusions This study suggests that emotional intelligence’ influence on burnout is mediated by workplace milieu resources. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage leaders to use their emotional intelligence to create a positive emotional atmosphere rather than solely concentrating on emotional comprehension.

Loneliness among adult cancer survivors in the United States: prevalence and correlates

Response of tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) yield to nutrient management under rainy and irrigation production systems in northwestern Amhara, Ethiopia

Crops respond differently to soil nutrients because of climate, soil, and management. This study aimed to determine the most important nutrients for tef production. The experiment was conducted over two production seasons. All (NPKSZnB), All-B, All-Zn, All-S, All-K, All-P, All-N, RNP, RNP+Sx1, and no fertilizer treatments were applied. The pre-planning soil status of the study sites, available P concentrations during the rainy season are between 5.1 and 8.9 mg kg-1, however, 21.4 mg kg-1 of available P is observed during irrigation. In rain-fed production systems, the mean soil N concentrations are 0.12% in nitisols and 0.15% in vertosols, whereas in irrigation production systems, it is 0.14% in nitiosols. The grain yield significantly (p ≤ 0.01) varied with the omission of nutrients during the production season. However, there was no significant (p<0.05) decrease in yield due to the omission of KSZnB nutrients. The lowest mean grain yields of 342 kg ha-1 (nitisols) and 491 kg ha-1 (vertosols) were obtained from the no fertilizer treatment. Nitrogen omission decreased yields by 49 and 65% in nitisols and vertosols under the rainy season, respectively, whereas a 19% yield decrease was also observed in the irrigation season. A 10% yield decrease was observed from the P omitted treatment in the rainy season. Thus, N is the primary limiting nutrient to yield in both production seasons, while P is also a yield-limiting nutrient in nitisols. Thus, the government should import the right kind of fertilizer to boost crop productivity in Ethiopia. The required plant nutrients should be periodically monitored in farming systems.

Optimal selection of diagnostic method for diabetes mellitus using complex bipolar fuzzy dynamic data

DArTseq-based silicoDArT and SNP markers reveal the genetic diversity and population structure of Kenyan cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) landraces

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is an important tree grown worldwide for its edible fruits, nuts and other products of industrial applications. The ecologically sensitive cashew-growing region in coastal Kenya is significantly affected by rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and shifting rainfall patterns. These changes adversely impact cashew growth by altering flowering patterns, increasing pests and diseases, and causing postharvest losses, which ultimately result in reduced yields and tree mortality. This is exacerbated by the long juvenile phase, high heterozygosity, lack of trait correlations, large mature plant size, and inadequate genomic resources. For the first time, the Diversity Array Technology (DArT) technology was employed to identify DArT (silicoDArT) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers for genomic understanding of cashew in Kenya. Cashew leaf samples were collected in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties along coastal Kenya followed by DNA extraction. The reduced libraries were sequenced using Hiseq 2500 Illumina sequencer, and the SNPs called using DarTsoft14. A total of 27,495 silicoDArT and 17,008 SNP markers were reported, of which 1340 silicoDArT and 824 SNP markers were used for analyses after screening, with > 80% call rate, > 95% reproducibility, polymorphism information content (PIC ≥  0.25) and one ratio (>0.25). The silicoDArT and SNP markers had mean PIC values ranging from 0.02–0.50 and 0.0–0.5, with an allelic richness ranging from 1.992 to 1.994 for silicoDArT and 1.862 to 1.889 for SNP markers. The observed heterozygosity and expected values ranged from 0.50–0.55 and 0.34–0.37, and 0.56–0.57 and 0.33 for both silicoDArT and SNP markers respectively. Understanding cashew genomics through the application of SilicoDArT and SNP markers is crucial for advancing cashew genomic breeding programs aimed at improving yield and nut quality, and enhancing resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our study presents an overview of the genetic diversity of cashew landraces in Kenya and demonstrates that DArT systems are a reliable tool for advancing genomic research in cashew breeding.

Stable isotope ecology of Quaternary cervid and bovid species in Southeast Asia with implications for wildlife conservation

Assessment of phytochemical screening, antibacterial, analgesic, and antipyretic potentials of Litsea glutinosa (L.) leaves extracts in a mice model

Background Litsea glutinosa (LG) leaves have been traditionally used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various ailments, including pain, fever, and microbial infections. This study aims to scientifically evaluate the therapeutic potential of cold methanol extracts of LG leaves, specifically focusing on their analgesic, antipyretic, and antibacterial activities. In addition, the research includes preliminary phytochemical screening to identify key bioactive compounds and an acute toxicity test to assess the safety profile of the extract. Methods In this study, we conducted an initial investigation of the major phytochemical groups present in L. glutinosa leaves using both modern chromatographic techniques, specifically High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and conventional phytochemical screening methods applied to cold methanol extracts. Both approaches consistently identified phenols and flavonoids as the predominant bioactive compounds. Following this phytochemical characterization, we assessed the analgesic efficacy of the extracts using acetic acid-induced writhing and electrical heat-induced nociceptive pain stimuli, evaluated antipyretic effects through Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia, and determined antibacterial activity via the disc diffusion method. Additionally, the toxicity of the extracts was evaluated through preclinical testing. Results In hot plate method, the highest pain inhibitory activity was found at a dose of 500 mg/kg of crude extract (3.37 ± 0.31 sec) which differed significantly (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) with that of the standard drug morphine (6.47 ± 0.23 sec). The extract significantly prolonged reaction latency to thermal-induced pain in hotplate model. Analgesic activity at 500 mg/kg, LG extract produced a 70% suppression of writhing in mice, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001) compared to standard morphine’s (77.5%) inhibition. In antipyretic activity assay, the crude extract showed notable reduction in body temperature (36.17 ±  0.32 °C) at dose of 300 mg/kg-body weight, when the standard (at dose 100 mg/kg-body weight) exerted (36.32 ±  0.67 °C) after 3 h of administration. In antibacterial studies, results showed that inhibition of bacterial growth at 400 μg dose of each extract clearly inhibited growth of bacteria from 11 to 22 mm. The extractives carbon tetrachloride fraction, chloroform soluble fraction, ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated notably greater inhibitory zone widths (p < 0.05) against tested strains. Conclusion Overall, the cold methanol extract of LG leaves demonstrates the therapeutic potential in preclinical settings. Future research is warranted to isolate the specific bioactive compounds and elucidate their mechanisms of action to further support the development of new treatments and contributing to modern medicinal practices based on this plant leaves.

Microscopic damage evolution and physical–mechanical behavior of high-temperature red sandstone under varying heating and cooling durations

The drivers of mental health service utilisation among public primary healthcare workers in Negeri Sembilan

Background Public primary healthcare workers (HCWs) face various psychosocial risks at workplace that can impact their mental health. However, little is known about their mental health service utilisation (MHSU). This study aimed to determine prevalence and predictors of MHSU among public primary HCWs in Negeri Sembilan, using Anderson Behavioural Model of Health Service Use. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023, using a valid and reliable self-administered six sections questionnaire consisting of; (i) sociodemographic, (ii) work-related factors, (iii) MHSU, (iv) perception of stigmatisation by others, (v) enabling factors, and (vi) need factors. Respondents were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling based on job categories. Multiple Logistic Regression using SPSS version 26 was used to determine the predictors of MHSU. Results A total of 294 respondents participated in this study, with a response rate of 83.5%. The 12-months MHSU prevalence was 45.6%. Mental health services were predominantly utilised for screening (96.3%) and treatment purposes (28.4%), primarily accessed through health clinics (85.1%), and interaction with paramedics (44.0%) and medical officers (38.8%). Significant drivers predicting MHSU were B40 household income (aOR = 3.426, 95% CI: 1.588, 7.393, p-value = 0.002) and M40 household income (aOR = 3.781, 95% CI: 1.916, 7.460, p-value<0.001), low supervisor support (aOR = 2.302, 95% CI: 1.206, 4.392, p-value = 0.011), received mental health training (aOR = 2.058, 95% CI: 1.221, 3.469, p-value = 0.007) and high co-worker support (aOR = 1.701, 95% CI: 1.034, 2.798, p-value = 0.036). Conclusion Almost half of respondents used mental health services, predicted by lower and middle household income, received mental health training and high co-worker support. Conversely, MHSU was also predicted by low supervisor support. To sustain high levels of MHSU, it is essential to implement regular mental health training targeted HCWs with lower to middle household incomes and those experiencing low supervisor support, while simultaneously enhancing co-worker support and screening program for early detection of mental health problems.

Mixing of natural and urban dust along the Wasatch Front of northern Utah, USA

Patterns of diversity in biomedical coauthorships: An analysis across authors’ ethnicity, gender, age, and expertise

Multiple studies have linked diversity in scientific collaborations to innovative and impactful research. Here, we explore how different diversity indices—ethnicity, gender, academic age, and topical expertise—interact and thereby influence scientific impact. Leveraging nearly 900,000 biomedical journal articles from PubMed, published in major journals between 1991 and 2014, we investigate the nuanced relationships among these diversity indices and their collective influence on research outcomes. By systematically varying model parametrizations, we assess the robustness of the observed relationships and examine multiple methodological choices. Our findings reveal a consistent pattern of demographic homophily, where scientists tend to collaborate with others who share similar ethnic and gender backgrounds. While each diversity index correlates significantly with impact when considered individually, gender diversity and topical expertise emerge as the strongest positive predictors of impact after accounting for key covariates. However, the association between diversity and impact is moderated by the number of collaborating authors, with larger teams sometimes showing opposite trends due to interactions between the computed diversity indices and team size. Despite this complexity, the practical drivers of scientific impact for an article remain the journal of publication, authors’ prior citation rate, and the number of co-authors. On further examining expertise diversity through three separate dimensions: variety, balance, and disparity, our findings indicate that impactful teams balance a wide range of subject matter expertise while maintaining a focused connection on closely related topics. These findings highlight the importance of strategic team composition and underline the significance of team diversity in scientific research.