ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: This paper makes parallels to 2G ethanol facilities, enabling a data-driven understanding of large-scale production economics for microbial lipids.
METHODS: Archived plasma samples from 19 Malaysian patients with symptomatic knowlesi infection and 19 healthy, age-matched controls were analyzed. Fifty-two biomarkers of brain injury, inflammation, and vascular activation were measured. Wilcoxon tests were used to examine group differences, and biomarker profiles were explored through hierarchical clustering heatmap analysis.
RESULTS: Bonferroni-corrected analyses revealed significantly elevated brain injury biomarker levels in knowlesi-infected patients, including S100B (P < .0001), Tau (P = .0007), UCH-L1 (P < .0001), αSyn (P < .0001), Park7 (P = .0006), NRGN (P = .0022), and TDP-43 (P = .005). Compared to controls, levels were lower in the infected group for BDNF (P < .0001), CaBD (P < .0001), CNTN1 (P < .0001), NCAM-1 (P < .0001), GFAP (P = .0013), and KLK6 (P = .0126). Hierarchical clustering revealed distinct group profiles for brain injury and vascular activation biomarkers.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight for the first time a potential impact of P knowlesi infection on the brain, with specific changes in cerebral injury and endothelial activation biomarker profiles. Further studies are warranted to investigate the pathophysiology and clinical significance of these altered markers, through neuroimaging and long-term neurocognitive assessments.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
SETTING: Lahore, the second largest metropolis in Pakistan.
PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted among parents residing in Lahore from March to April 2023. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling.
OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected using a prevalidated questionnaire that consisted of four sections: (1) informed consent, (2) demographic details, (3) COVID-19 vaccine uptake in children aged 5-17 years, parents' experience with childhood COVID-19 vaccination and their intention to vaccinate their unvaccinated children and (4) a modified 5C scale tailored to determine parents' confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility with regard to COVID-19 vaccination.
RESULTS: This study included 414 parents (median age=37 years; mothers=62%). COVID-19 vaccination rates for children in the age groups 12-17 years and 5-11 years were 72.5% and 30.1%, respectively. Transient adverse events following immunisation were reported by 32.7% of parents. Of parents with unvaccinated children aged 12-17 years, only 35% intended to vaccinate them. The majority of parents were not willing to vaccinate their children below 11 years of age. Parents with a self-reported positive history of COVID-19 disease (OR=2.531, p=0.016), and confident in the vaccine's safety and efficacy (OR=1.968, p=0.010), were more inclined to vaccinate their 5-11 years. In terms of vaccination of children below 5 years, confidence in the vaccine (OR=2.942, p=0.003) and a sense of collective responsibility were positive predictors (OR=2.260, p=0.035), while calculation was identified as a negative predictor of parents' intention to vaccinate their under 5 years (OR=0.421, p=0.018).
CONCLUSION: CVH was significantly higher among parents of children aged 5-11 years and children younger than 5 years old. Priority should be given by health authorities to address parental concerns about vaccines and ensure that parents understand the significance of vaccination in protecting their children, to increase vaccination rates. This is because hesitancy towards one specific vaccine can negatively impact hesitancy rates in general.
METHODS: The quantification of the bioactive compounds was conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography multiple reactions monitoring tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS-MRM) technique. The effect of the extract on CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 activities was determined using a fluorometric screening kit according to the manufacturer's instructions.
RESULTS: The three bioactive compounds were detected and quantified in the aqueous leaf extract. Results showed that the content of luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (47 μg/mg) was the highest followed by luteolin-7-O-glucoside (3.5 μg/mg) and 1,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (1.07 μg/mg). The extract showed an inhibitory effect on CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 enzyme activities in control and diabetic rats.
CONCLUSIONS: The UHPLC-MS/MS-MRM method is sensitive and reliable for the quality control of V. amygdalina leaf extract. The inhibitory effect of the extract suggests that concomitant use of V. amygdalina leaf preparations with conventional drugs metabolized and eliminated from the body by CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 enzymes may lead to possible interaction.
DESIGN/METHODS: A non-randomized prospective study was conducted for various types of pterygium excision with superior bulbar conjunctival autograft (CAG) and fibrin glue. We introduced fluorescein staining to ensure thorough elimination of the Tenon tissue around the bare sclera area and the CAG. The primary outcome was the recurrence rate, and the secondary outcome was any complication associated with fluorescein staining.
RESULTS: Ninety-three participants with primary pterygium of Grades 1-3 were recruited and all completed follow-up for at least 1 year. No recurrence was identified during the follow-up period and no long-term adverse reactions were reported with the "hydro-fluorescein" method.
CONCLUSION: "Hydro-fluorescein" is effective and a safe adjunct in primary pterygium removal and is effective in various grades of pterygia to minimize recurrence with no adverse reaction within 1 year.
OBJECTIVE: The present study analyzes the expression of H19 correlated with clinicopathological parameters, tobacco habit, loco-regional recurrence, and overall survival.
METHODS: A longitudinal study was undertaken using 96 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) OSCC tissues and 30 FFPE adjacent normal mucosa (NM) tissues from patients who had surgery between 2015 and 2018. The tissues were subjected to quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine H19 expression. The differential expression levels of H19 in OSCC were compared to clinicopathological variables and risk habits using the t-test and ANOVA. H19 expression correlated overall survival was analyzed by drawing the Kaplan-Meier curve followed by the log-rank test. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to determine the ability of H19 to independently predict loco-regional recurrence and overall survival for OSCC.
RESULT: H19 was significantly underexpressed in OSCC compared to NM in both the study cases and the TCGA OSCC database. The lower expression of H19 was significantly associated with the tobacco smoking habit and was not associated with any clinical or pathological features. Multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that low H19 expression and positive lymph node metastasis were independent predictors of overall survival for OSCC. Higher age, higher TNM staging, and low H19 expression were independent predictors of loco-regional recurrence.
CONCLUSION: The findings in the present study indicate that H19 is a novel prognostic marker and may provide a therapeutic strategy for the targeted treatment of OSCC, and tobacco may play a role in the expression of H19.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey among paediatricians from June to August 2023 using a validated questionnaire. Paediatricians from all four Provinces and the capital territory of Pakistan were invited from randomly selected public and private sector hospitals.
RESULTS: 383 paediatricians participated (79.8% response rate). Most were male (87.7%), aged 35 years or less (55.4%), working in tertiary care hospitals (68.4%) and undertaking 51-100 child consultations every day (45%). Only 15% reported obtaining training on antibiotic usage, AMR and/or antimicrobial stewardship. Only 7.6% confirmed functional antimicrobial stewardship programmes in their institutions. Most had adequate knowledge of antibiotic use and AMR. However, key issues were not fully understood with only 27.4% believing antibiotics were being overused among children. Paediatricians with less experience, and who undertook fewer consultations per day, had significantly lower knowledge scores. Most participants were prepared to initiate antimicrobial stewardship programmes; however, perceived barriers included a lack of online learning sources, treatment guidelines and support from hospital administration.
DISCUSSION: Paediatricians had appropriate knowledge about antibiotic use and AMR although concerns with antibiotic use. Important barriers to integrating antimicrobial stewardship programmes were identified, which need addressing for these to become routine.
METHODS: The harvested stem cells from adipose tissues were isolated, cultured, and then starved. The centrifugation of cell cultures medium yielded the human adipose-derived stem cells conditional medium (HADSCs-CM). Collagen secretion and fibroblast viability of human fibroblasts (Hs68) were measured in the presence of HADSCs-CM. The dermal layer, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and collagen levels were evaluated on the mice animal models between the treatments with and without HADSCs-CM.
RESULTS: Western blotting, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) confirmed that the functional particles in HADSCs-CM were exosomes. When Hs68 fibroblasts were treated with HADSCs-CM, both cell viability and collagen secretion increased in a dose-dependent manner. Following the post-ultraviolet A (post-UVA) exposure, the mice exposed to the HADSCs-CM have decreased dermal thickness and VEGF expression and increased collagen volume compared to the non-HADSCs-CM exposed mice (control group).
CONCLUSION: HADSCs-CM significantly alleviated signs of skin senescence, including reduced dermal thickness, decreased VEGF expression, and enhanced collagen production. Exosomes, identified in the HADSCs-CM, are the functional component of these regenerative effects. This study highlights that the exosomal nanomedicine found in HADSCs-CM could regenerate skin, boost collagen production, improve fibroblast cell viability, and contain functional exosomes.
DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Ebscohost, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest, Web of Science.
REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review was performed to identify the relevant studies published from 2011 to 2023. Studies were selected using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 5170 articles were retrieved and assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool.
RESULTS: A total of 38 eligible studies were included. Eight studies evaluated the effects of Tai Chi, followed by Liuzijue (five studies) and yoga (three studies). The duration of the exercise programmes ranged from 8 weeks to 3 years, and the frequency was between 2 and 7 times a week. Exercise sessions lasted between 20 and 90 min. Low-intensity exercise improved lung function after six months. Whole-body exercise improved dyspnea more than local exercise. Water-based exercise improved physical endurance more than land exercise, and quality of life was unaffected by long-term exercise.
CONCLUSION: This systematic review highlights the benefit of exercise treatments as a potential adjunct treatment for COPD patients.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using healthcare as a case, a stratified random sample comprising 600 patients from 40 hospitals across eight metropolitan cities in an emerging economy was acquired and analyzed using co-variance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM).
FINDINGS: Customers' co-creation experience has a positive impact on their co-creation self-efficacy, co-creation engagement, and value co-creation behavior. While co-creation self-efficacy and engagement have no direct influence on value co-creation behavior, they do serve as mediators between co-creation experience and value co-creation behavior, suggesting that when customers are provided with a co-creation experience, it enhances their co-creation self-efficacy and engagement, ultimately fostering value co-creation behavior.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: A theory of customer value co-creation behavior is established.