Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Abbas AB, Al-Gamei S, Naser A, Al-Oqab A, Alduhami K, Al-Sabri M, et al.
    PMID: 39678025 DOI: 10.2147/BCTT.S497313
    BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most popular and dangerous cancer, with a high mortality rate. Hematological parameters are often used in routine diagnosis of numerous disorders. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate hematological parameters amongst women with and without BC.

    METHODOLOGY: Briefly, 200 blood samples (100 cases and 100 controls) were collected at Life Center of Breast Cancer Control, Ibb City, Yemen. The whole blood samples were tested immediately for complete blood count (CBC) parameters. Socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics were collected by using a standardized questionnaire. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Fisher's exact test and chi-square test for trends were calculated using GraphPad Prism 8.0.1. P-values ≤0.05 were statistically significant.

    RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation (SD) revealed significant differences between BC group and the healthy control group attributed to the variables of age (P<0.0001), weight (P<0.0001), residence (P=0.0218), employment state (P<0.0001), economic state (P=0.0003), education levels (P<0.0001), regular exercise (P<0.0001) and a strict diet (P<0.0008). Marital state, marital age, number of births, and use of contraceptives demonstrated statistical significance (P<0.0001, P=0.0008, P=0.0009, and P<0.0001, respectively). Additionally, Hb, RBCs, WBCs count, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes displayed significant differences (P=0.0393, P=0.0045, P=0.0327, P=0.0441, P=0.0098 and P<0.0001, respectively).

    CONCLUSION: Hb, RBCs, WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and other parameters scored high points of evidence for BC surveillance. Further studies are required to evaluate hematological parameter differences and biochemical parameters after or during chemotherapy or mastectomy.

  2. Abu Bakar MF, Mohammed Nawi A, Chin SF, Makpol S
    Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf), 2024;12:goae106.
    PMID: 39678161 DOI: 10.1093/gastro/goae106
    BACKGROUND: Early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) is crucial to enhance the disease treatment and prognosis of patients. Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for CRC detection; however, it requires trained personnel with expensive tools. Currently, serum metabolites have been discovered to be used to discriminate patients with polyps and CRC. This study aimed to identify the most commonly detected predictive serum metabolites for polyps and CRC.

    METHODS: A systematic search of the Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Ten studies investigating serum metabolite biomarkers of CRC and polyps using different analytical platforms and study populations were included. QUADOMICS tool was used to analyse the quality of the included studies. All reported metabolites were then enriched into the pathways using MetaboAnalyst 5.0.

    RESULTS: We found that several potential signature metabolites overlapped between studies, including tyrosine, lysine, cystine, arabinose, and lactate for CRC and lactate and glutamate for polyps. The most affected pathways related to CRC were the urea cycle, glutathione metabolism, purine metabolism, glutamate metabolism, and ammonia recycling. In contrast, those affected in the polyps were the urea cycle, glutamate metabolism, glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and carnitine synthesis.

    CONCLUSIONS: This review has found commonly detected serum metabolites for polyps and CRC with huge potential to be used in clinical settings. However, the differences between altered pathways in polyps and CRC, other external factors, and their effects on the regulation level, sensitivity, and specificity of each identified metabolite remained unclear, which could benefit from a further extensive cohort study and well-defined analysis equipment.

  3. Mohd Saat NZ, Hanawi SA, Hanafiah H, Ahmad M, Farah NMF, Abdul Rahman NAA
    Front Public Health, 2024;12:1459952.
    PMID: 39678241 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1459952
    INTRODUCTION: In the current digital age, people's use of electronic devices has significantly increased screen time, which may have an impact on different aspects of their lives. Adolescents today are exposed to excessive screen time, which may affect their sleep and contribute to anxiety and depression. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between screen time with sleep quality, anxiety and depression, among adolescents in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

    METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study information was gathered from among 353 secondary school students in the Klang Valley using a questionnaire. The instrument that was used in this study was Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Malay version, screen-based media usage (SCREENS-Q) and Hopkins Symptom Check List-25 (HSCL-25) Malay version. The sampling method was stratified and convenience sampling method. The analysis study used the Smart Partial least squares (PLS) method to analyze the data.

    RESULTS: Using the Smart PLS technique, we examined the relationship between these variables and identified revealed that screen time has a direct, positive, and significant impact on anxiety level (Mean = 0.134, β = 0.123, p  0.05) and depression (Mean = 0.044, β = 0.043, p  

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires; Students/psychology; Students/statistics & numerical data
  4. Yang Y, Idris NB, Liu C, Wu H, Yu D
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e2356.
    PMID: 39678290 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2356
    The harm caused by deepfake face images is increasing. To proactively defend against this threat, this paper innovatively proposes a destructive active defense algorithm for deepfake face images (DADFI). This algorithm adds slight perturbations to the original face images to generate adversarial samples. These perturbations are imperceptible to the human eye but cause significant distortions in the outputs of mainstream deepfake models. Firstly, the algorithm generates adversarial samples that maintain high visual fidelity and authenticity. Secondly, in a black-box scenario, the adversarial samples are used to attack deepfake models to enhance their offensive capabilities. Finally, destructive attack experiments were conducted on the mainstream face datasets CASIA-FaceV5 and CelebA. The results demonstrate that the proposed DADFI algorithm not only improves the generation speed of adversarial samples but also increases the success rate of active defense. This achievement can effectively reduce the harm caused by deepfake face images.
  5. Alrawajfi A, Ismail MT, Al Wadi S, Atiewi S, Awajan A
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e2337.
    PMID: 39678293 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2337
    Data imputation strategies are necessary to address the prevalent difficulty of missing values in data observation and recording operations. This work utilizes diverse imputation methods to forecast and complete absent values inside a financial time-series dataset, specifically the daily prices of gold. The predictive accuracy of imputed data is assessed in comparison to the original entire dataset to ensure its robustness. The imputation methods are validated using actual closing price data obtained from a daily gold price website. The examined approaches include mean imputation, k-nearest neighbor (KNN), hot deck, random forest, support vector machine (SVM), and spline imputation. Their performance is evaluated based on several metrics, including mean error (ME), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), mean percentage error (MPE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The results indicate that the KNN approach consistently performs better than other methods in terms of all accuracy measures. Nevertheless, the precision of all techniques decreases as the proportion of missing data rises. Therefore, the KNN approach is suggested because to its exceptional performance and dependability in imputation tasks.
  6. Chenhui H, Hassan MS, Afshan S, Hanif I, Umair M, Albalawi O
    Heliyon, 2024 Sep 30;10(18):e37190.
    PMID: 39678386 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37190
    This study examines the effects of energy resources in the form of clean and unclean energy on the economic progress of 30 selected developed economies. This study used data from 1990 to 2020 and it employs the CS-ARDL method to obtain results. The results present that both clean and unclean energy significantly stimulate economic progress. The findings further expose that foreign investment resources in the form of inflow are significant factors that accelerate economic progress in developed economies. The results reveal that tourism development, capital accumulation, and exports are significant factors in boosting economic progress in the selected economies. Estimates from Dumitrescu and Hurlin's method for heterogeneous panels confirm the presence of the feedback-effect hypothesis for unclean energy, while the energy-conservation hypothesis holds for clean energy. This study suggests that targeting low-cost clean energy production is crucial for promoting economic growth and protecting the environment through carbon mitigation strategies. There is also a need to develop a policy framework that emphasizes the transformation of industry towards clean energy at a macro level. Furthermore, transitioning from unclean to clean energy may enhance economic progress by improving environmental quality norms in the selected developed economies. Finally, policies for tourism development, export improvement, and increased inflow of FDI should be directed towards fostering clean energy agreements and achieving environment-friendly economic progress in developed economies.
  7. Ren X, Zhang L, Wang K, Li F
    Front Oncol, 2024;14:1374927.
    PMID: 39678517 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1374927
    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the causal relationships between peripheral immune cell counts and prostate cancer, adhering to Mendelian Randomization reporting guidelines for transparency and reproducibility.

    METHODS: In this study, bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, which includes MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and inverse variance weighted (IVW) approaches, was utilized to evaluate the bidirectional causal relationship between peripheral immune cell counts and the risk of PCa.

    RESULTS: The primary analysis using the IVW method suggests a potential causal association between basophil counts and the risk of prostate cancer (PCa), with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.111 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.011-1.222 (P = 0.028). Conversely, non-causal associations have been observed between other peripheral immune cell types, such as white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, or monocytes, and the incidence of PCa (P values > 0.05). Furthermore, although reverse analysis indicated a causal link between PCa and the counts of leukocytes and neutrophils (OR = 1.013; 95% CI = 1.002-1.225; P = 0.018 and OR = 1.013; 95% CI = 1.002-1.025; P = 0.019), no causal association was detected between PCa and basophil count (P value > 0.050).

    CONCLUSION: This study suggests a potential bidirectional link between peripheral immune cells and prostate cancer, but inconsistencies in Mendelian Randomization methods mean these findings are preliminary and require further investigation.

  8. Balasingam DFK, Dharmaraj B, Chai DN, Balasubbiah N, Meiyappan P, Sathiamurthy N
    J Thorac Dis, 2024 Nov 30;16(11):7446-7457.
    PMID: 39678845 DOI: 10.21037/jtd-24-830
    BACKGROUND: The standard treatment for thymomatous myasthenia gravis (TMG) patients is thymectomy, whereas its role in non-TMG (NTMG) is still under debate. The objective of this study is to assess myasthenia gravis (MG) outcomes of thymectomy using the uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (UVATS) technique for both groups and evaluate the procedure's efficacy and safety.

    METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from January 2019 to December 2022 at Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scoring and the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America's Post Interventional Score (MGFA-PIS) measured our primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included surgery-related morbidity. All patients underwent a UVATS thymectomy, with the incision at the right anterior axillary line at the 5th intercostal space.

    RESULTS: Out of 26 patients, 22 were analysed. The MG-ADL scores indicated a significant mean score reduction post-surgery [6.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.42 to 9.67; P<0.001]. NTMG patients exhibited a greater decrease in MG-ADL mean score than TMG patients {9.5 [standard deviation (SD) 4.8] vs. 6.1 (SD 5.4) P<0.001}. The MGFA-PIS showed complete stable remission (CSR) rates of 43% for TMG and 25% for NTMG patients. Surgical morbidity was observed in 13% of patients, of which were myasthenic crisis, difficult extubation due to carbon dioxide (CO2) retention and subcutaneous emphysema.

    CONCLUSIONS: Thymectomy via UVATS is an effective and safe approach for improving symptoms in both TMG and NTMG patients.

  9. Xi Y, Zeng J, Zhou Y, Shen W, Taniguchi H, Rajandram R, et al.
    J Thorac Dis, 2024 Nov 30;16(11):7819-7835.
    PMID: 39678883 DOI: 10.21037/jtd-24-1622
    BACKGROUND: The 26S non-ATPase regulatory subunit 11 (PSMD11) is a multiprotein complex that participates in the ATP-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins and is essential to the regulation of embryonic stem cell proteasome activity. PSMD11 has been demonstrated to be a factor contributing to the emergence and progression of cancer cells. However, the prognostic value and potential biological function of PMSD11 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate the prognostic and biological value of PSMD11 in LUAD.

    METHODS: We primarily endeavored to comprehensively investigate the prognostic and predictive value of PSMD11 in patients with LUAD. Additionally, we aimed to further clarify the underlying mechanisms of PSMD11 in LUAD tumorigenesis and progression via rigorous bioinformatics analyses, including expression analysis, survival analysis, clinicopathological analysis, immune microenvironment analysis, somatic mutation analysis, drug analysis, and cuproptosis analysis. Subsequently, we examined effect of PSMD11 expression on immune escape in a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell-T cell coculture model.

    RESULTS: We found that PSMD11 had a significantly higher expression in LUAD tissues than in normal lung tissues. Three clinical characteristics (age, stage, and overall survival event) exhibited significant differences between the PSMD11 high- and low-expression groups. In biological function, PSMD11 appears to exert its tumorigenic effects predominantly in pathways related to DNA replication and membrane-gated channel functions. Notably, we observed that PSMD11 exhibited the strongest positive correlation with T helper 2 cells, gamma-delta T cells, and T regulatory cells and the highest negative correlation with B cells, mast cells, and CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, we found that the expression of cuproptosis genes (DLAT, DLD, and PDHA1) was positively correlated with the expression of PSMD11 (P<0.001).

    CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PSMD11 has the potential to be a novel therapeutic target and sensitive biomarker for patients with LUAD.

  10. Wang J, Hao Y, Zhang L, Gao X, Xu Y, Wang J, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2024;15:1486501.
    PMID: 39678912 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1486501
    Mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) fed with an artificial diet is progressively gaining popularity, which is important for reducing product prices and resource consumption. However, food is the decisive factor of intestinal microbes, and the profound effects of change in their feeding habit on intestinal microbes of mandarin fish have not been revealed. In the present study, live bait fish and artificial diet were used to feed mandarin fish for 8 weeks to study the effect of different feeding habits on the histology, microbiota structure and dominant bacteria of gut in mandarin fish. The results indicated that feeding with the artificial diet significantly increased the intestinal villi height and muscular thickness in the hindgut of mandarin fish. In addition, the microbiota results showed that there were significant differences of beta diversity of gut microbiota in mandarin fish fed with different diets. At the genus level, feeding artificial diets significantly increased the abundance of Weissella in the mandarin fish gut. Furthermore, two Weissella bacteria were identified and characterized from the midgut contents of mandarin fish fed with artificial diet. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, nine strains were assigned as Weissella confusa (RM125), and one as Weissella cibaria (SJ548). Biochemical analyses based on the VITEK2 method revealed a pattern of metabolic activities against W. confusa RM125 and W. cibaria SJ548, with 13 positive and 29 negative results, respectively. W. confusa RM125 and W. cibaria SJ548 exhibited sensitivities toward a variety of pathogens, including V. harveyi, S. aureus and V. parahaemolyticus, E. coli, A. hydrophila, S. enterica, V. anguillarum, and V. alginolyticus, indicating potential probiotics. Therefore, our results confirmed that the transformation of feeding habit altered the structure, microbial composition and dominant bacteria in gut of mandarin fish, and provided evidence that Weissella might play a crucial role in the digestion and absorption of artificial diet in mandarin fish.
  11. Ji S, Chen S, Yang X, Liu T, Wang X
    Front Psychol, 2024;15:1511807.
    PMID: 39679150 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1511807
    OBJECTIVE: Strengthening youth sports and comprehensively promoting the participation of Chinese university students in sports to enhance their social acceptance are key initiatives for delivering high-quality talent for China's economic and social development.

    METHODS: Using the China Comprehensive Social Survey as the data source and considering social mentality and social identity, we constructed corresponding statistical models to explore how sports participation influences the social identity (class identity, economic status, and emotional belonging) of Chinese university students.

    RESULTS: Regarded from a holistic perspective, sports participation can enhance the social identity of college students in all its aspects, and the benefits of sports participation are positively related to its frequency. Under the condition of social mentality, sports participation has a positive effect on the social identity of college students in general and a nonsignificant effect only on certain dimensions. Under the social identity condition, the significance of sports participation for college students' social identity decreases from lower to higher levels of education.

    CONCLUSION: Sports participation significantly enhances the social identity of Chinese university students, and the specific mechanism of the enhancement varies across the social mentality and social identity conditions. In this context, strengthening the role of sports participation in promoting the social identity of college students in the new era is necessary. Deepening the ideological content of physical education courses should be taken as the starting point to enhance the effectiveness of sports participation on the social identity of college students under the condition of social mentality. The effectiveness of sports participation on the social identity of college students with different social identities should be differentiated and enhanced.

  12. Xu X, Arshad MA, Jian Y, Mahmood A, Dong M
    Front Vet Sci, 2024;11:1415753.
    PMID: 39679173 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1415753
    INTRODUCTION: Improving the quantity and quality of veterinary talent cultivation is an urgent issue to address in current veterinary education and is key to enhancing veterinary talent competitiveness. Starting from an industrial perspective, the introduction of scientific analytical methods for studying veterinary talent competitiveness offers a new view on veterinary education and helps to improve the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation.

    METHODS: This study develops a veterinary talent competitiveness evaluation index based on the characteristics of veterinary talent. It proposes a visual method to analyze the level and spatiotemporal evolution of veterinary talent competitiveness using the Entropy method and ArcGIS tools, with Western China as a case study. Data is collected from 12 regions in Western China, spanning 2015 to 2021.

    RESULTS: The results show that the method not only evaluates the current state of veterinary talent competitiveness but also considers temporal and spatial evolution, achieving good evaluation effectiveness and high accuracy, thereby guiding the improvement of veterinary education and talent cultivation.

    DISCUSSION: Based on the research findings, the study suggests improving the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation through measures such as strengthening talent resource development, addressing regional imbalances, and promoting spatial integration to achieve a virtuous cycle between veterinary education and industrial development.

  13. Ramzan M, Abusalah MAHA, Ahmed N, Yean CY, Zeshan B
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2024;19:13319-13338.
    PMID: 39679248 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S475656
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a significant global concern. To combat this growing threat, various strategies have been employed, including the use of plant extracts and the biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs). The current study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical analysis of ginger (Zingiber officinale) extracts, characterize the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and to see their antibacterial potentials against multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains.

    METHODS: The extracts were prepared and initially assessed for their phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity. Then, AgNPs were synthesized from these extracts at room temperature, and various analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ATIR-FTIR, zeta sizer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA), were used to characterize the NPs. After confirmation of prepared NPs, they were subjected to their antibacterial activity.

    RESULTS: HPLC analysis demonstrated the presence of eight phytoconstituents in organic ginger extracts. The absorption spectra of the silver suspension exhibited surface plasmon resonance peaks with maxima between 420 and 448 nm. Functional groups like C-H, N-H, OH, C-O-C, C=O, and C-O were identified in both the organic and aqueous extracts of Z. officinale, playing a key role in the formation of AgNPs, as characterized by ATR-FTIR analysis. Both ginger organic and aqueous extract synthesized AgNPs crystalline structure was shown in XRD analysis and the particle size distribution showed average diameter of 200.5 nm of AgNPs from aqueous extracts. Scanning Electron Microscopy displayed spherical structure and EDA results showed the percentage of elements in synthesized AgNPs using plant extracts. Most promising antibacterial activity was obtained against Escherichia coli ie 20.83±0.53 for 100 µg/mL.

    CONCLUSION: The results of the current study showed that AgNPs synthesized from different ginger extracts have promising antibacterial properties and can be potential candidates for alternative treatment options for bacterial infections.

    MeSH terms: Escherichia coli/drug effects; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests*; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Particle Size; X-Ray Diffraction; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/drug effects
  14. Yu S, Fan D, Ge M, Chen Z
    PLoS One, 2024;19(12):e0314242.
    PMID: 39680565 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314242
    The article examines the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of traditional Tibetan "Bengke" residential architecture in Luhuo County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The study utilizes spatial statistical methods, including Average Nearest Neighbor Analysis, Getis-Ord Gi*, and Kernel Density Estimation, to identify significant clustering patterns of Bengke architecture. Spatial autocorrelation was tested using Moran's Index, with results indicating no significant spatial autocorrelation, suggesting that the distribution mechanisms are complex and influenced by multiple factors. Additionally, exploratory data analysis (EDA), the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and regression methods such as Lasso and Elastic Net were used to identify and validate key factors influencing the distribution of these buildings. The analysis reveals that road density, population density, economic development quality, and industrial structure are the most significant factors. The study also highlights that these factors vary in impact between high-density and low-density areas, depending on the regional environment. These findings offer a comprehensive understanding of the spatial patterns of Bengke architecture and provide valuable insights for the preservation and sustainable development of this cultural heritage.
    MeSH terms: Architecture as Topic; China; Housing; Humans; Population Density; Spatial Analysis*
  15. Fuad ASM, Arzmi MH, Bakar ME, Taib IS, Khuda F, Nasruddin NS
    J Ayurveda Integr Med, 2024 Dec 15;16(1):101037.
    PMID: 39681048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2024.101037
    BACKGROUND: The combination of S. salivarius K12 and M. acuminata are being used as synbiotic, but its safety evaulation is required.

    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the LD50 of synbiotic containing probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12 and prebiotic Musa acuminata peel extract.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: The determination of LD50 is done according to the Acute Oral Toxicity test No. 425 (AOT425). For limit test, five female Sprague Dawley rats were given a limit dose of 2000 mg/kg of the synbiotic mixture once orally, and observed for 12 days. For subacute toxicity test, twenty female Sprague Dawley rats were randomised into 4 groups (n = 5). Control group received saline, others received synbiotic mixture at doses 175 mg/kg, 550 mg/kg, and 2000 mg/kg, respectively, and observed for 14 days. Animals were euthanised on day-15, blood was collected, and subjected to haematological and biochemical analyses. Kidney and liver were preserved for histopathological examination.

    RESULT: No significant changes on the average body weight of the animals throughout the study. Haematological parameters and biochemical analysis do not depict any changes related to acute toxicity. Histopathology analysis depicted mild changes on kidney and liver.

    CONCLUSION: Based on the data, the LD50 of the synbiotic formulation is higher than 2000 mg/kb, with no sign of acute toxicity observed on all parameters.

  16. Campo-Tena L, Farzana A, Burnes D, Chan TA, Choo WY, Couture M, et al.
    Lancet Healthy Longev, 2024 Dec;5(12):100647.
    PMID: 39681125 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2024.100647
    Globally, abuse of older people (AOP) affects one in six individuals aged 60 years and older every year. Despite the widespread prevalence of AOP, evidence-based interventions for preventing and responding to this issue are insufficient. To address this gap, WHO proposed an initiative to accelerate the development of effective interventions for AOP across all country income levels. In the first phase, the initiative identified 89 promising interventions across a total of 101 evaluations or descriptions, which led to the creation of a public database. Most interventions targeted physical, psychological, and financial abuse and neglect, were implemented in the USA, and focused on victims or potential victims. These interventions were primarily delivered by social workers and nurses, usually in health-care facilities and community centres. Face-to-face delivery was common. Additionally, 28 (28%) of the 101 evaluations used randomised controlled trial designs. The results of this Review can be used to identify interventions that are ready for a rigorous outcome evaluation.
    MeSH terms: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Humans; Middle Aged
  17. Balavaishnavi B, Kamaraj M, Nithya TG, Sathish S, Madhavan T, Mahajan M, et al.
    Luminescence, 2024 Dec;39(12):e70051.
    PMID: 39681523 DOI: 10.1002/bio.70051
    The study aims to elucidate the pharmacological mechanism of Rauvolfia tetraphylla against breast cancer through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach. This includes molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and experimental validation. Initial screening via ADME analysis and network pharmacology identified key compounds and potential targets. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis pinpointed Yes-associated protein-1 (YAP) as a crucial target. Molecular docking revealed that three compounds-ajmaline, reserpine, and serpentine-exhibited strong binding affinities with YAP, with scores of -6.5 to -6.7 kcal/mol. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to assess the stability of these interactions further. Experimental validation showed R. tetraphylla inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation, with an IC50 of 348.69 μg/mL, while demonstrating cytoprotective effects on Vero cells (IC50: 1056.23 μg/mL). Migration assays indicated an 88.5% reduction in cell migration, and increased ROS levels signaled elevated stress in cancer cells. Apoptosis was confirmed by AO/EtBr staining. In vivo validation in a DMBA-induced mouse model confirmed significant tumor growth inhibition, supported by changes in YAP expression and histopathological analysis. These findings highlight R. tetraphylla as a promising therapeutic candidate against breast cancer, offering insights into its mechanisms and potential for future drug development and clinical applications.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry; Cell Movement/drug effects; Cercopithecus aethiops; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Female; Humans; Transcription Factors/antagonists & inhibitors; Transcription Factors/metabolism; Vero Cells; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/antagonists & inhibitors; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism; Mice; Molecular Dynamics Simulation*; Molecular Docking Simulation
  18. Elkelawy M, El Shenawy EA, Bastawissi HA, Shams MM, P V E, Balasubramanian D, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Dec 16;14(1):30474.
    PMID: 39681575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-77234-8
    Due to the restrictions of the diesel engine emissions and the massive demand of energy, the fossil diesel fuel has been consumed quickly and the resources cannot suffice the demand. Alternative fuels that include bio alcohols, hydrogen and biodiesel can make up the diesel fuel depletion. Biodiesel is convenient for diesel engine operation due to its properties like fossil diesel properties. Response surface methodology is a statistical approach for responses prediction and optimization using definite number of experiments to provide time and cost. This study aims to predict and optimize the performance and emission attributes; of diesel engine has single cylinder and operates at 1400 rpm constant speed fuelled with pure diesel fuel or diesel fuel blended with waste cooked oil (WCO) biodiesel at different blending ratio by using response surface methodology (RSM). The influences of the independent variables that are WCO biodiesel blend percentages and the diesel engine load values on the responses that are predicted and optimized. The WCO biodiesel/ diesel fuel blend percentages are pure diesel fuel without biodiesel (B0), 40% WCO biodiesel with 60% diesel fuel (B40) and 80% WCO biodiesel with 20% diesel fuel (B80). The experiments are performed using diesel engine runs at 1400 rpm constant speed, at varying diesel engine loads are zero, 4 and 8 kW. The design of experiments (DOE) is attempted using central composite design (CCD). The RSM model is a nonlinear model developed according to the independent variables and the responses. The homogeneity between the independent variables is studied to predict and optimize their influences on the diesel engine performance and emission attributes. The RSM model is validated according to the coefficients of regression are R2, R2 adjusted and the R2 predicted that prove the satisfaction of the results. From the experiments it is observed that diesel engine performance and emissions attributes are enhanced by increasing the diesel engine load value and increasing the percentage of WCO biodiesel blending ratio compared to pure diesel only like NOx emissions which reduced from 1200 ppm to 900 ppm at the same engine load due to the reduced combustion temperatures using WCO biodiesel. According to the response optimizer tool, the optimal responses are 17.11% for the BTE, 658.9 ppm for the NOx emissions and 1.93% for CO2 emission at independent variables are 2.6667 kW diesel engine load and 100% pure diesel fuel.
  19. Zhan Y, Wang P, Zhan Y, Lu Z, Guo Y, Ahmad NA, et al.
    BMC Glob Public Health, 2024 Apr 12;2(1):24.
    PMID: 39681898 DOI: 10.1186/s44263-024-00055-4
    BACKGROUND: Prior research has reaffirmed lifestyle risk behaviors to cluster among adolescents. However, the lifestyle cluster effect on suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) was unclear among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). No comparison of such associations was conducted across nations.

    METHODS: Data from 45 LMICs were obtained from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2019. Lifestyle behavior factors were collected through a structured questionnaire. Suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt were ascertained by three single-item questions. Lifestyle risk scores were calculated via a sufficient dimension reduction technique, and lifestyle risk clusters were constructed using a latent class analysis. Generalized linear mixed models with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate the lifestyle-STB associations.

    RESULTS: A total of 229,041 adolescents were included in the final analysis. The weighted prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt was 7.37%, 5.81%, and 4.59%, respectively. Compared with the favorable lifestyle group, the unfavorable group had 1.48-, 1.53-, and 3.11-fold greater odds of suicidal ideation (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.30-1.69), plan (OR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.34-1.75), and attempt (OR = 3.11, 95%CI 2.64-3.65). Four clusters of lifestyle risk behaviors were identified, namely healthy lifestyles (H-L), insufficient intake of vegetables and fruit (V-F), frequent consumption of soft drinks and fast food (D-F), and tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking (S-A) clusters. Compared with H-L cluster, V-F cluster was associated with 43% and 42% higher odds of suicidal ideation and plan, followed by S-A cluster (26% for ideation and 20% for plan), but not significant in D-F cluster (P > 0.05). D-F cluster was associated with 2.85-fold increased odds of suicidal attempt, followed by V-F cluster (2.43-fold) and S-A cluster (1.18-fold).

    CONCLUSIONS: Clustering of lifestyle risk behaviors is informative for risk stratification of STBs in resource-poor settings. Lifestyle-oriented suicide prevention efforts should be initiated among school-attending adolescents in LMICs.

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