Browse publications by year: 2024

Fulltext Analysis of factors related to the morphological evolution of Lingnan export mugs in the 18th-20th centuries in the context of one belt and one road

Ao J, Xu Z, Li W, Zhao M, Xie Q, Ji S

PLoS One, 2024;19(8):e0304104.
PMID: 39150965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304104

As a significant trade item on the ancient Silk Road, the evolution of mug shapes represents a confluence of Eastern and Western economic history and cultural-artistic exchanges, also reflecting the flourishing export culture of Guangzhou. This paper analyzes the functional and social factors influencing the morphological changes of Lingnan mugs from 1616 to 1949 from the perspective of quantitative typological analysis. The overall design trend of these mugs transitioned from complex to simple, enhancing user comfort, while variations in mug scale reflect the diversity of consumer classes and regional drinking cultures. Among the 30 mugs analyzed, the average capacity was 356ml, with a range of 1588ml. Common shapes included cylindrical bodies and ear-shaped handles. Morphologically, the belly of the mugs transformed from arc-barrel bodies (emphasizing heat retention) to bulbous bodies, and eventually to cylindrical bodies (combining heat retention, practicality, and economy), with handles also showing signs of East-West integration. The analysis of the mug body' s inclination, with handle-side junction angles ranging from 34° to 53° and wall-side junction angles from 50° to 90°, indicates that these features are associated with stability in placement, aesthetic design, and practicality in liquid containment. These morphological evolutions reflect genuine responses to market demands and advancements in production technology, manifesting as products of market orientation and societal needs. By measuring changes in morphology, scale, volume, and external contour curves, this paper addresses how social factors shape material morphology in an academic context.

MeSH terms: China; Humans; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century
Fulltext Neutrophil activation, acute lung injury and disease severity in Plasmodium knowlesi malaria

Tan AF, Sakam SSB, Piera K, Rajahram GS, William T, Barber BE, et al.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2024 Aug;18(8):e0012424.
PMID: 39150978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012424

The risk of severe malaria from the zoonotic parasite Plasmodium knowlesi approximates that from P. falciparum. In severe falciparum malaria, neutrophil activation contributes to inflammatory pathogenesis, including acute lung injury (ALI). The role of neutrophil activation in the pathogenesis of severe knowlesi malaria has not been examined. We evaluated 213 patients with P. knowlesi mono-infection (138 non-severe, 75 severe) and 49 Plasmodium-negative controls from Malaysia. Markers of neutrophil activation (soluble neutrophil elastase [NE], citrullinated histone [CitH3] and circulating neutrophil extracellular traps [NETs]) were quantified in peripheral blood by microscopy and immunoassays. Findings were correlated with malaria severity, ALI clinical criteria, biomarkers of parasite biomass, haemolysis, and endothelial activation. Neutrophil activation increased with disease severity, with median levels higher in severe than non-severe malaria and controls for NE (380[IQR:210-930]ng/mL, 236[139-448]ng/mL, 218[134-307]ng/mL, respectively) and CitH3 (8.72[IQR:3.0-23.1]ng/mL, 4.29[1.46-9.49]ng/mL, 1.53[0.6-2.59]ng/mL, respectively)[all p<0.01]. NETs were higher in severe malaria compared to controls (126/μL[IQR:49-323] vs 51[20-75]/μL, p<0.001). In non-severe malaria, neutrophil activation fell significantly upon discharge from hospital (p<0.03). In severe disease, NETs, NE, and CitH3 were correlated with parasitaemia, cell-free haemoglobin and angiopoietin-2 (all Pearson's r>0.24, p<0.05). Plasma NE and angiopoietin-2 were higher in knowlesi patients with ALI than those without (p<0.008); neutrophilia was associated with an increased risk of ALI (aOR 3.27, p<0.01). In conclusion, neutrophil activation is increased in ALI and in proportion to disease severity in knowlesi malaria, is associated with endothelial activation, and may contribute to disease pathogenesis. Trials of adjunctive therapies to regulate neutrophil activation are warranted in severe knowlesi malaria.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Histones/blood; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index*; Biomarkers/blood; Plasmodium knowlesi*; Neutrophil Activation*; Leukocyte Elastase/blood; Young Adult
Intention-to-Treat Analysis in Clinical Research: Basic Concepts for Clinicians

Armijo-Olivo S, Barbosa-Silva J, de Castro-Carletti EM, de Oliveira-Souza AIS, Pelai EB, Mohamad N, et al.

Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 2024 Sep 01;103(9):845-857.
PMID: 38320245 DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002444

This review presents a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of intention-to-treat analysis, with a particular focus on its application to randomized controlled trials within the field of rehabilitation. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted a methodological review that encompassed electronic and manual search strategies to identify relevant studies. Our selection process involved two independent reviewers who initially screened titles and abstracts and subsequently performed full-text screening based on established eligibility criteria. In addition, we included studies from manual searches that were already cataloged within the first author's personal database. The findings are synthesized through a narrative approach, covering fundamental aspects of intention to treat, including its definition, common misconceptions, advantages, disadvantages, and key recommendations. Notably, the health literature offers a variety of definitions for intention to treat, which can lead to misinterpretations and inappropriate application when analyzing randomized controlled trial results, potentially resulting in misleading findings with significant implications for healthcare decision making. Authors should clearly report the specific intention-to-treat definition used in their analysis, provide details on participant dropouts, and explain upon their approach to managing missing data. Adherence to reporting guidelines, such as the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials for randomized controlled trials, is essential to standardize intention-to-treat information, ensuring the delivery of accurate and informative results for healthcare decision making.

MeSH terms: Humans; Research Design; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic*; Biomedical Research; Intention to Treat Analysis*
The Effect of Tranexamic Acid on Neurosurgical Intervention in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hematoma: Data From 121 Surgically Treated Participants From the Tranexamic Acid in IntraCerebral Hemorrhage-2 Randomized Controlled Trial

Hollingworth M, Woodhouse LJ, Law ZK, Ali A, Krishnan K, Dineen RA, et al.

Neurosurgery, 2024 Sep 01;95(3):605-616.
PMID: 38785451 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002961

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An important proportion of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) undergo neurosurgical intervention to reduce mass effect from large hematomas and control the complications of bleeding, including hematoma expansion and hydrocephalus. The Tranexamic acid (TXA) for hyperacute primary IntraCerebral Hemorrhage (TICH-2) trial demonstrated that tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces the risk of hematoma expansion. We hypothesized that TXA would reduce the frequency of surgery (primary outcome) and improve functional outcome at 90 days in surgically treated patients in the TICH-2 data set.
METHODS: Participants enrolled in TICH-2 were randomized to placebo or TXA. Participants randomized to either TXA or placebo were analyzed for whether they received neurosurgery within 7 days and their characteristics, outcomes, hematoma volumes (HVs) were compared. Characteristics and outcomes of participants who received surgery were also compared with those who did not.
RESULTS: Neurosurgery was performed in 5.2% of participants (121/2325), including craniotomy (57%), hematoma drainage (33%), and external ventricular drainage (21%). The number of patients receiving surgery who received TXA vs placebo were similar at 4.9% (57/1153) and 5.5% (64/1163), respectively (odds ratio [OR] 0.893; 95% CI 0.619-1.289; P -value = .545). TXA did not improve outcome compared with placebo in either surgically treated participants (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.30-2.09; P = .64) or those undergoing hematoma evacuation by drainage or craniotomy (OR 1.19 95% 0.51-2.78; P -value = .69). Postoperative HV was not reduced by TXA (mean difference -8.97 95% CI -23.77, 5.82; P -value = .45).
CONCLUSION: TXA was not associated with less neurosurgical intervention, reduced HV, or improved outcomes after surgery.

MeSH terms: Aged; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome
Construction of 13-locus X-STR multiplex PCR system that reinforces Argus X-12 kit discrimination capacity: Application to the Malay population

Minaguchi K, Samejima M, Nambiar P, Kaneko Y, Ochiai E, Kakimoto Y, et al.

Leg Med (Tokyo), 2024 Sep;70:102463.
PMID: 38823287 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102463

Closely linked groups of markers on the X chromosome are very useful for testing complex kinship relationships involving X-STR transmission. The Argus X-12 kit, a unique commercially available kit, can obtain haplotypes of 4 linkage groups (LGs) consisting of 3 markers. Although many population data have been reported for forensic purposes, differences in discrimination ability exist between LG1 and LG2, 3, and 4 in East Asian populations, and the data of this kit would become more useful if the discrimination ability of the latter groups were increased. Therefore, for matches found using this kit for some linkage group data, then to increase the identification ability, we additionally introduced 13 X-STR loci and established a method allowing comparison using data from 25 loci. The 13X-STRs add two locus data to each of LG2, 3, and 4, and also add two closely linked group (CLG) data between LG2 and 3 and LG3 and 4 in one multiplex PCR. Assessment of this method for a Malay population for which data by Argus X-12 had already been reported showed that the frequencies of distinct haplotypes in LG2, 3, and 4 were increased by 33.0-42.6 %, and frequencies of unique haplotypes increased by 45.4-59.2 %. The respective haplotype diversity values of the additional 3-locus and 4-locus CLGs were 0.9838 and 0.9939, which helps to improve discriminatory power and to predict recombination locations on the X chromosome. Although we have been testing these loci with Japanese subjects, this system would also be useful for the Malay population.

MeSH terms: Haplotypes; Humans; Genetic Linkage; Malaysia; DNA Fingerprinting/methods; Microsatellite Repeats*; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics; Forensic Genetics/methods
Atypical suicide by single incising cut to the throat without hesitation marks: Case report and review of the literature

Cirielli V, Cecchetto G, Narayanasamy M, Eccher A, Gobbo S, Brunelli M, et al.

Leg Med (Tokyo), 2024 Sep;70:102468.
PMID: 38851015 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102468

Several studies have been performed to recognize the main features in homicide and suicide sharp wound-related death, revealing that a single cutting wound to the neck is an infrequent event in suicide cases, and several hesitation marks near the fatal injury are usually present. We report a case of an atypical self-inflicted cutthroat injury without tentative marks involving a 79-year-old female. The weapon used, a kitchen knife, was found at the crime scene. The wound had clean margins, and no other incisions were found. Scene circumstances, namely the absence of signs of a break-in, the victim found on the bed, the knife located near the body, the vital wound in an accessible site, and the absence of defense injuries, collectively support a likely suicide. A literature review was also performed to compare forensic data of the case presented with the other 6 cases reported regarding atypical suicide characterized by a single incising cut to the throat without hesitation marks. Given the few cases reported and the lack of gross descriptions and histopathological data available in the literature, additional knowledge of such a case may help forensic pathologists in the identification of suicidal events when a single neck injury is observed. In this frame, suicide by a unique single incising cut to the throat without hesitation marks near the lethal injury may be observed as an atypical presentation, and the crime scene investigation, together with additional background information of the deceased, aid in the identification of the manner of the death.

MeSH terms: Aged; Female; Humans; Pharynx/injuries; Pharynx/pathology; Suicide; Wounds, Stab/pathology; Neck Injuries/pathology; Forensic Pathology/methods
The mannose-binding lectin (MBL) gene cloned from Exopalaemon carinicauda plays a key role in resisting infection by Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Shi T, Gao J, Xu W, Liu X, Yan B, Azra MN, et al.

Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol, 2024;274:111001.
PMID: 38908544 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111001

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a vital member of the lectin family, crucial for mediating functions within the complement lectin pathway. In this study, following the cloning of the mannose-binding lectin (MBL) gene in the ridgetail white prawn, Exopalaemon carinicauda, we examined its expression patterns across various tissues and its role in combating challenges posed by Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The results revealed that the MBL gene spans 1342 bp, featuring an open reading frame of 972 bp. It encodes a protein comprising 323 amino acids, with a predicted relative molecular weight of 36 kDa and a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.18. The gene exhibited expression across various tissues including the eyestalk, heart, gill, hepatopancreas, stomach, intestine, ventral nerve cord, muscle, and hemolymph, with the highest expression detected in the hepatopancreas. Upon challenge with V. parahaemolyticus, RT-PCR analysis revealed a trend of MBL expression in hepatopancreatic tissues, characterized by an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease, peaking at 24 h post-infection. Employing RNA interference to disrupt MBL gene expression resulted in a significant increase in mortality rates among individuals challenged with V. parahaemolyticus. Furthermore, we successfully generated the Pet32a-MBL recombinant protein through the construction of a prokaryotic expression vector for conducting in vitro bacterial inhibition assays, which demonstrated the inhibitory effect of the recombinant protein on V. parahaemolyticus, laying a foundation for further exploration into its immune mechanism in response to V. parahaemolyticus challenges.

MeSH terms: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Cloning, Molecular*; Phylogeny; Vibrio Infections/immunology; Vibrio Infections/veterinary; Vibrio parahaemolyticus*; Arthropod Proteins/genetics; Arthropod Proteins/immunology; Arthropod Proteins/metabolism; Arthropod Proteins/chemistry
The One with Many Facets: Anti-Glycine Receptor Antibodies-Related Parkinsonism with Complex Visual Phenomena and Stiff-Limb Syndrome

Mohd Fauzi NA, Mohd Nazi NN, Wan Mohd Azam ER, P Bhatia K

Mov Disord Clin Pract, 2024 Aug;11 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S21-S25.
PMID: 38923295 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.14144
MeSH terms: Autoantibodies/blood; Autoantibodies/immunology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Vision Disorders/etiology; Vision Disorders/immunology; Receptors, Glycine/immunology
Enhancing drug bioavailability for Parkinson's disease: The promise of chitosan delivery mechanisms

Shaikh MAJ, Gupta G, Bagiyal P, Gupta S, Singh SK, Pillappan R, et al.

Ann Pharm Fr, 2024 Jul 31.
PMID: 39089365 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharma.2024.07.008

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a widely seen neurodegenerative condition recognized by misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) protein, a prominent indicator for PD and other synucleinopathies. Motor symptoms like stiffness, akinesia, rest tremor, and postural instability coexist with nonmotor symptoms that differ from person to person in the development of PD. These symptoms arise from a progressive loss of synapses and neurons, leading to a widespread degenerative process in multiple organs. Implementing medical and surgical interventions, such as deep brain stimulation, has enhanced individuals' overall well-being and long-term survival with PD. It should be mentioned that these treatments cannot stop the condition from getting worse. The complicated structure of the brain and the existence of a semi-permeable barrier, commonly known as the BBB, have traditionally made medication delivery for the treatment of PD a challenging endeavor. The drug's low lipophilic nature, enormous size, and peculiarity for various ATP-dependent transport mechanisms hinder its ability to enter brain cells. This article delves at the potential of drug delivery systems based on chitosan (CS) to treat PD.
Repurposing cardiac glycosides for anticancer treatment: a review of clinical studies

Nik Nabil WN, Dai R, Liu M, Xi Z, Xu H

Drug Discov Today, 2024 Aug 03;29(10):104129.
PMID: 39098384 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104129

Cardiac glycosides (CGs), which are traditionally used for heart disease, show promise for cancer therapy. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive review of clinical studies in this area, and so far, CGs have not been widely integrated into clinical cancer treatment. This review covers clinical studies from the past five years, highlighting the potential of CGs to reduce cancer risk, enhance chemotherapy effectiveness, mitigate chemotherapy-induced side effects and improve quality of life. Future clinical trials should personalize the dosage of CGs, integrate molecular testing and investigate immunogenic cell death induction and the potential of CGs for treating bone cancer and metastasis. Optimizing the repurposing of CGs for anticancer treatment requires consideration of specific CGs, cancer types and concurrent medications.
Fulltext Interconnected influences of tumour and host microbiota on treatment response and side effects in nasopharyngeal cancer

Lim ESY, Ong Y, Chou Y, Then CK

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol, 2024 Aug 03;202:104468.
PMID: 39103130 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104468

This study elucidates the intricate relationship between nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a significant malignancy predominant in Asia with notable global incidence and mortality rates, and the host microbiota, including those of tumour, nasal, nasopharyngeal, oral, oropharyngeal, and gut communities. It underscores how the composition and diversity of microbiota are altered in NPC, delving into their implications for disease pathogenesis, treatment response, and the side effects of therapies. A consistent reduction in alpha diversity across oral, nasal, and gut microbiomes in NPC patients compared to healthy individuals signals a distinct microbial signature indicative of the diseased state. The study also shows unique microbial changes tied to different NPC stages, indicating a dynamic interplay between disease progression and microbiota composition. Patients with specific microbial profiles exhibit varied responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy, underscoring the potential for treatment personalisation based on microbiota analysis. Furthermore, the side effects of NPC treatments, such as oral mucositis, are intensified by shifts in microbial communities, suggesting a direct link between microbiota composition and treatment tolerance. This nexus offers opportunities for interventions aimed at modulating the microbiota to alleviate side effects, improve quality of life, and potentially enhance treatment efficacy. Highlighting the dual potential of microbiota as both a therapeutic target and a biomarker for NPC, this review emphasises its significance in influencing treatment outcomes and side effects, heralding a new era in NPC management through personalised treatment strategies and innovative approaches.
Fulltext Nature-based mental health: research and implementation agenda

Buckley RC, Zhang ZJB, Underdahl S, Cooper MA, Sclippa K, Brough P, et al.

Lancet Planet Health, 2024 Aug;8(8):e528-e529.
PMID: 39122320 DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00166-9
MeSH terms: Humans; Mental Health*; Research; Nature
Carbon nanomaterial-based aptasensors for rapid detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria

Fatemi K, Lau SY, Obayomi KS, Kiew SF, Coorey R, Chung LY, et al.

Anal Biochem, 2024 Aug 08;695:115639.
PMID: 39127327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115639

Each year, millions of people suffer from foodborne illness due to the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, which severely challenges global health. Therefore, it is essential to recognize foodborne pathogens swiftly and correctly. However, conventional detection techniques for bacterial pathogens are labor-intensive, low selectivity, and time-consuming, highlighting a notable knowledge gap. A novel approach, aptamer-based biosensors (aptasensors) linked to carbon nanomaterials (CNs), has shown the potential to overcome these limitations and provide a more reliable method for detecting bacterial pathogens. Aptamers, short single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)/RNA molecules, serve as bio-recognition elements (BRE) due to their exceptionally high affinity and specificity in identifying foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, and other relevant pathogens commonly associated with foodborne illnesses. Carbon nanomaterials' high surface area-to-volume ratio contributes unique characteristics crucial for bacterial sensing, as it improves the binding capacity and signal amplification in the design of aptasensors. Furthermore, aptamers can bind to CNs and create aptasensors with improved signal specificity and sensitivity. Hence, this review intends to critically review the current literature on developing aptamer functionalized CN-based biosensors by transducer optical and electrochemical for detecting foodborne pathogens and explore the advantages and challenges associated with these biosensors. Aptasensors conjugated with CNs offers an efficient tool for identifying foodborne pathogenic bacteria that is both precise and sensitive to potentially replacing complex current techniques that are time-consuming.
Cloning and functionally characterization of TtVtg2-like in horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus: A special focus on ovarian development

Yang X, Tan K, Su B, Lim LS, Waiho K, Kwan KY, et al.

Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Aug 10;278(Pt 1):134667.
PMID: 39134189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134667

Horseshoe crabs are living fossils. In recent decades, the population of horseshoe crabs, especially the tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus, has decreased significantly and was listed as an 'endangered species' under the IUCN Red List in 2019. In order to improve the reproduction of T. tridentatus to facilitate stock enhancement, it is important to understand their ovarian development. In this study, a novel TtVtg2-like gene from T. tridentatus was cloned and functionally characterized. The total legth of TtVtg2-like was 5469 bp, encoding a protein consisting of 1822 amino acid with a pI value of 6.51 and a molecular weight of 208.68 KDa. The TtVtg2-like was highly expressed in the ovary and yellow connective tissues, mainly localized in cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum vesicles of oocytes and yellow connective tissues, respectively. RNA interference of TtVtg2-like caused the accumulation of ROS, DNA damage, and apoptosis of ovarian primary cells. The results of this study provide useful baseline information for future studies on ovarian development in horseshoe crabs.
Fulltext Study on fresh and hardened state properties of eco-friendly foamed concrete incorporating waste soda-lime glass

Mydin MAO, Jagadesh P, Bahrami A, Majeed SS, Dulaimi A, Omar R

Sci Rep, 2024 Aug 12;14(1):18733.
PMID: 39134601 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69572-4

Improper waste management is causing global environmental problems. Waste glass may have adverse impacts on the ecosystem. While a substantial amount of soda-lime glass bottle (SGB) undergoes recycling to create new glass items, a significant volume still ends up in landfills. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the potential use of SGB in foamed concrete (FC) production as an aggregate replacement. SGB was substituted for sand in different weight fractions, ranging from 5 to 50%. The fresh state, mechanical, thermal, pore structure, and transport properties were examined. The findings showed a significant enhancement in the FC's mechanical properties when SGB replaced 20% of sand. The compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths exhibited a rise of up to 17.7, 39.4, and 43.8%, respectively. The findings also demonstrated that the addition of SGB improved the thermal conductivity, sorptivity, water absorption, and porosity. The scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the inclusion of 20% SGB caused a substantial decrease in void diameter and enhanced its uniformity. A comparison was made between the experimental data and predictions of the mechanical properties using various models of international standards, such as IS 456, ACI 318, NZS-3101, EC-02, AS 3600, and CEB-FIB, along with several references in the literature. The findings implied a strong correlation between the strength properties. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights into both the possible advantages and constraints of using SGB in FC. Furthermore, this extensive laboratory investigation may serve as a guideline for future study and aid in the advancement of greener and more environmentally friendly FC alternatives.
Fulltext Effect of graphene oxide on mechanical, deformation and drying shrinkage properties of concrete reinforced with fly ash as cementitious material by using RSM modelling

Kumar S, Bheel N, Zardari S, Alraeeini AS, Almaliki AH, Benjeddou O

Sci Rep, 2024 Aug 12;14(1):18675.
PMID: 39134634 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69601-2

The industrial production of cement contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, making it crucial to address and reduce these emissions by using fly ash (FA) as a potential replacement. Besides, Graphene oxide (GO) was utilized as nanoparticle in concrete to augment its mechanical characteristics, deformation resistance, and drying shrinkage behaviours. However, the researchers used Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to evaluate the compressive strength (CS), tensile strength (TS), flexural strength (FS), modulus of elasticity (ME), and drying shrinkage (DS) of concrete that was mixed with 5-15% FA at a 5% increment, along with 0.05%, 0.065%, and 0.08% of GO as potential nanomaterials. The concrete samples were prepared by using mix proportions of design targeted CS of about 45 MPa at 28 days. From investigational outcomes, the concrete with 10% FA and 0.05% GO exhibited the greatest CS, TS, FS, and ME values of 62 MPa, 4.96 MPa, 6.82 MPa, and 39.37 GPa, on 28 days correspondingly. Besides, a reduction in the DS of concrete was found as the amounts of FA and GO increased. Moreover, the development and validation of response prediction models were conducted utilizing analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level of 95%. The coefficient of determination (R2) values for the models varied from 94 to 99.90%. Research study indicated that including 10% fly ash (FA) as a substitute for cement, when combined with 0.05% GO, in concrete yields the best results. Therefore, this approach is an excellent option for the building sector.
Fulltext An explorative analysis on the optimal cryo-passes and freezing time of the ultrathin cryoprobe in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy

Kho SS, Tan SH, Soo CI, Ramarmuty HYD, Chai CS, Huan NC, et al.

Sci Rep, 2024 Aug 12;14(1):18653.
PMID: 39134712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69702-y

EBUS-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy (TBMC) has emerged as a promising biopsy tool for diagnosing hilar and mediastinal pathologies. However, several fundamental technical aspects of TBMC remain unexplored. This study aims to determine the optimal number of cryo-passes and freezing time of the ultrathin cryoprobe in EBUS-TBMC concerning specimen size and procedural diagnostic yield. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with mediastinal and hilar lesions who underwent EBUS-TBMC between January 2021 and April 2023 across three hospitals in Malaysia. A total of 129 EBUS-TBMC procedures were successfully completed, achieving an overall diagnostic yield of 88.4%. Conclusive TBMC procedures were associated with larger specimen sizes (7.0 vs. 5.0 mm, p

MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Bronchoscopy/instrumentation; Bronchoscopy/methods; Female; Freezing*; Humans; Male; Mediastinum/pathology; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies
Fulltext Relative motion splints versus metacarpophalangeal joint blocking splints in the management of trigger finger: Study protocol for a randomized comparative trial

Leong LX, Chai SC, Howell JW, Mohd Rasdi HF, Abdul Rahman NR

PLoS One, 2024;19(8):e0307033.
PMID: 39137205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307033

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports the use of hand-based metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) blocking splints as an intervention for trigger finger (TF). In practice, finger-based relative motion (RM) splints are also implemented without evidence.
PURPOSE: This randomized comparative trial (RCT) aims to evaluate implementation of MCPJ blocking and RM splints for effectiveness, function, occupational performance and wearability after 6 weeks of TF management.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Priori analysis determined 36 individuals were needed for random assignment to the RM or MCPJ blocking splint groups. Individuals must be aged ≥21 years, and diagnosed with TF involving ≥1 finger. For blinding purposes, the primary author screens for eligibility, fabricates the splints and educates. Therapist A administers the primary outcome measures Week-1 and Week-6-stage of stenosing tenosynovitis and secondary outcome measures- number of triggering events in 10 active fists, visual analog scales (VAS) for pain, splint comfort and satisfaction, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Therapist B in Week-3 instructs participants in deep tissue massage and administers splint wearability VASs. The RM pencil test is used to determine the affected finger(s) MCPJ splint position i.e., more extension or flexion based on participant response. The MCPJ blocking splint holds the MCPJ in a neutral position. Analysis involves a mixed-effects ANOVA to compare Week-1 and Week-6 primary and secondary outcomes.
RESULTS: Recruitment and data collection are ongoing.
DISCUSSION: Biomechanically RM splints control tendon excursion and reduce passive tendon tension while allowing unencumbered finger motion and hand function. Hence clinicians use RM splints as an intervention for TF, despite the lack of implementation evidence. This RCT implements a function-focused as well as patient-centered approach with partial blinding of assessors and participants.
CONCLUSION: We anticipate that this study will provide evidence for the implementation of RM splints to manage adults with TF.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05763017).

MeSH terms: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Splints*; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Range of Motion, Articular; Treatment Outcome
Fulltext A hybrid TCN-GRU model for classifying human activities using smartphone inertial signals

Raja Sekaran S, Pang YH, You LZ, Yin OS

PLoS One, 2024;19(8):e0304655.
PMID: 39137226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304655

Recognising human activities using smart devices has led to countless inventions in various domains like healthcare, security, sports, etc. Sensor-based human activity recognition (HAR), especially smartphone-based HAR, has become popular among the research community due to lightweight computation and user privacy protection. Deep learning models are the most preferred solutions in developing smartphone-based HAR as they can automatically capture salient and distinctive features from input signals and classify them into respective activity classes. However, in most cases, the architecture of these models needs to be deep and complex for better classification performance. Furthermore, training these models requires extensive computational resources. Hence, this research proposes a hybrid lightweight model that integrates an enhanced Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) layers for salient spatiotemporal feature extraction without tedious manual feature extraction. Essentially, dilations are incorporated into each convolutional kernel in the TCN-GRU model to extend the kernel's field of view without imposing additional model parameters. Moreover, fewer short filters are applied for each convolutional layer to alleviate excess parameters. Despite reducing computational cost, the proposed model utilises dilations, residual connections, and GRU layers for longer-term time dependency modelling by retaining longer implicit features of the input inertial sequences throughout training to provide sufficient information for future prediction. The performance of the TCN-GRU model is verified on two benchmark smartphone-based HAR databases, i.e., UCI HAR and UniMiB SHAR. The model attains promising accuracy in recognising human activities with 97.25% on UCI HAR and 93.51% on UniMiB SHAR. Since the current study exclusively works on the inertial signals captured by smartphones, future studies will explore the generalisation of the proposed TCN-GRU across diverse datasets, including various sensor types, to ensure its adaptability across different applications.

MeSH terms: Smartphone*; Algorithms; Humans; Human Activities*; Neural Networks (Computer)
Effectiveness of foot massage on selected physiological parameters among patients with acute coronary syndrome

Sagheer ZS, Dawood HA

Curr Probl Cardiol, 2024 Aug 11;49(11):102780.
PMID: 39137879 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2024.102780

BACKGROUND: Acute coronary syndrome characterizes the spectrum of myocardial ischemia states, which include non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (MI), and angina.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of foot massage on selected physiological parameters among patients with acute coronary syndrome.
METHODS: A quasi- experimental study was conducted in Karbala center for cardiac diseases and surgery from December 25th, 2023, to May 7th, 2024. A nonprobability purposive sampling consisted of 60 patients with acute coronary syndrome in the intervention group were instructed to performed four-step foot massage similarly 5 min for each foot. While patients in the control group just received routine medical treatment. The physiological parameters were checked in the two groups before, after 5 min, and 10 min after the foot massage. The study instrument consisted of two main parts: part one included patient's socio demographics and clinical data, and the second part was used to assess the physiological parameters. Statistical tests were conducted using the software SPSS, version 24, with a level of significance of 5 % (p value <0.05).
RESULTS: that are a significant statistical differences between the mean of the selected physiological parameters readings for the study group except reading of pulse pressure, while there is no significant statistical difference between the mean of the readings of the selected physiological parameters for the control group except the reading of heart rate.
CONCLUSION: The study found that the foot massage is effective for improving the blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure.

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