Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Palazzo L, Lindblom J, Kihlgren Olsson E, Nikiphorou E, Wincup C, Saha S, et al.
    Rheumatol Int, 2024 Oct;44(10):1923-1933.
    PMID: 39138675 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-024-05682-6
    OBJECTIVE: To determine the occurrence of breakthrough COVID-19 infections (BIs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with patients with other rheumatic autoimmune diseases (rAIDs), patients with non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs), and healthy controls (HCs).

    METHODS: The study was based on data from 7035 fully vaccinated respondents to the online COVAD questionnaire with SLE (N = 852), rAIDs (N = 3098), or nrAIDs (N = 414), and HCs (N = 2671). BI was defined as COVID-19 infection occurring in individuals vaccinated with ≥ 2 doses (or 1 dose of J&J) ≥ 14 days after vaccination and not after 6 months since the last vaccine dose. Data were analysed using linear and logistic regression models.

    RESULTS: A total of 91/852 (10.7%) SLE patients reported at least one BI. The frequency of BIs in SLE patients was comparable to that among HCs (277/2671; p = 0.847) and patients with nrAID (39/414; p = 0.552) but higher than that among patients with other rAIDs (235/3098; p = 0.005). No demographic factors or treatments were associated with BIs in SLE patients (p ≥ 0.05 for all). Joint pain was more frequent in SLE patients than in HCs (odds ratio [OR]: 3.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.89-6.04; p 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Autoimmune Diseases/epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Rheumatic Diseases/drug therapy; Vaccination; Case-Control Studies
  2. Sef D, Thet MS, Hashim SA, Kikuchi K
    Innovations (Phila), 2024;19(4):351-359.
    PMID: 39267397 DOI: 10.1177/15569845241265867
    OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review of all available evidence on the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS CABG) in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD).

    METHODS: A systematic literature search in PubMed, MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to identify all relevant studies evaluating outcomes of MICS CABG among patients with multivessel CAD and including at least 15 patients with no restriction on the publication date.

    RESULTS: A total of 881 studies were identified, of which 26 studies met the eligibility criteria. The studies included a total of 7,556 patients. The average patient age was 63.3 years (range 49.5 to 69.0 years), male patients were an average of 77.8% (54.0% to 89.8%), and body mass index was 29.8 kg/m2 (24.5 to 30.1 kg/m2). Early mortality and stroke were on average 0.6% (range 0% to 2.0%) and 0.4% (range 0% to 1.3%), respectively. The average number of grafts was 2.8 (range 2.1 to 3.7). The average length of hospital stay was 5.6 days (range 3.1 to 9.3 days).

    CONCLUSIONS: MICS CABG appears to be a safe method in well-selected patients with multivessel CAD. This approach is concentrated at dedicated centers, and there is no widespread application, although it has potential to be widely applicable as an alternative for surgical revascularization. However, large randomized controlled studies with longer follow-up are still required to compare the outcomes with conventional CABG and other revascularization strategies.

    MeSH terms: Aged; Female; Humans; Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications/etiology; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology; Treatment Outcome
  3. Eratne D, Kang MJY, Lewis C, Dang C, Malpas CB, Keem M, et al.
    Alzheimers Dement, 2024 Nov;20(11):7989-8001.
    PMID: 39369278 DOI: 10.1002/alz.14278
    INTRODUCTION: People with neurodegenerative disorders (ND) frequently face diagnostic delay and misdiagnosis. We investigated blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light chain (NfL) to distinguish ND from primary psychiatric disorders (PPD), a common challenge in clinical settings.

    METHODS: Plasma and CSF NfL levels were measured and compared between groups, adjusting for age, sex, and weight.

    RESULTS: A total of 337 participants were included: 136 ND, 77 PPD, and 124 Controls. Plasma NfL was 2.5-fold elevated in ND compared to PPD and had strong diagnostic performance (area under the curve, [AUC]: 0.86, 81%/85% specificity/sensitivity) that was comparable to CSF NfL (2-fold elevated, AUC: 0.89, 95%/71% specificity/sensitivity). Diagnostic performance was especially strong in younger people (40- 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity
  4. Tunkl C, Agarwal A, Ramage E, Velez FS, Roushdy T, Ullberg T, et al.
    Int J Stroke, 2024 Nov 15.
    PMID: 39460528 DOI: 10.1177/17474930241298450
    BACKGROUND: Despite the proven efficacy of telestroke in improving clinical outcomes by providing access to specialized expertise and allowing rapid expert hyperacute stroke management and decision-making, detailed operational evidence is scarce, especially for less developed or lower income regions.

    AIM: We aimed to map the global telestroke landscape and characterize existing networks.

    METHODS: We employed a four-tiered approach to comprehensively identify telestroke networks, primarily involving engagement with national stroke experts, stroke societies, and international stroke authorities. A carefully designed questionnaire was then distributed to the leaders of all identified networks to assess these networks' structures, processes, and outcomes.

    RESULTS: We identified 254 telestroke networks distributed across 67 countries. High-income countries (HICs) concentrated 175 (69%) of the networks. No evidence of telestroke services was found in 58 (30%) countries. From the identified networks, 88 (34%) completed the survey, being 61 (71%) located in HICs. Network setup was highly heterogeneous, ranging from 17 (22%) networks with more than 20 affiliated hospitals, providing thousands of annual consultations using purpose-built highly specialized technology, to 11 (13%) networks with fewer than 120 consultations annually using generic videoconferencing equipment. Real-time video and image transfer was employed in 64 (75%) networks, while 62 (74%) conducting quality monitoring. Most networks established in the past 3 years were located in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    CONCLUSION: This comprehensive global survey of telestroke networks found significant variation in network coverage, setup, and technology use. Most services are in HICs, and a few services are in LMICs, although an emerging trend of new networks in these regions marks a pivotal moment in global telestroke care. The wide variation in quality monitoring practices across networks, with many failing to report key performance metrics, underscores the urgent need for standardized, resource-appropriate, quality assurance measures that can be adapted to diverse settings.

  5. Rehman AU, Tasleem Z, Muhammad SA, Rasool MF, Shah S, Jabeen G, et al.
    Front Public Health, 2024;12:1365744.
    PMID: 39494082 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1365744
    BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 comorbid population is at higher risk of developing severe health issues like acute respiratory distress syndrome, coagulation syndrome, metabolic acidosis, and septic shock, potentially leading to patient death. Patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) significantly influence their response to the pandemic and aid in enhancing health policy implementation.

    OBJECTIVE: To identify and evaluate the pattern and associated factors to COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and practice among individuals with comorbidities.

    METHODOLOGY: The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies assessing the KAP of comorbid patients were retrieved by carefully searching the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies was used to determine the quality of the included studies and the risk of biases.

    RESULTS: Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The pooled sample size of the included studies was 9,104. Different comorbidities reported in the studies include hypertension, diabetes, psychological disorders, and cancer. Pooled analysis showed that 65% of patients showed good knowledge, 57% of patients showed a positive attitude and 51% of patients followed good practices to manage the COVID-19 in presence of their comorbid condition. Significant factors impacting knowledge, attitude and practice in COVID-19 comorbid patients were ethnicity OR 1.78 [95% CI 1.35-2.32]; educational status 3.2 [2.79-3.58]; urban residence 2.43 [1.65-3.02]; employment Status 1.67[1.34-2.12]; financial Status 4.02[3.66-4.38]; occupation 3.65[3.31-4.25]; information Source 2.64[2.19-3.26]; comorbidity 3.28[2.78-3.61]; and duration of chronic illness 1.59[1.31-2.04].

    CONCLUSION: Comorbid COVID-19 patients showed good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice towards the management of the disease.

    MeSH terms: Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*; Comorbidity*
  6. Lim AWY, Schneider L, Loy C
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2024 Nov 05;11(11):CD001747.
    PMID: 39498781 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001747.pub4
    BACKGROUND: Dementia leads to progressive cognitive decline, and represents a significant health and societal burden. Its prevalence is growing, with Alzheimer's disease as the leading cause. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but there are regulatory-approved pharmacological interventions, such as galantamine, for symptomatic relief. This review updates the 2006 version.

    OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical effects, including adverse effects, of galantamine in people with probable or possible Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, and to investigate potential moderators of effect.

    SEARCH METHODS: We systematically searched the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialised Register on 14 December 2022 using the term 'galantamine'. The Register contains records of clinical trials identified from major electronic databases (including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase), trial registries, grey literature sources, and conference proceedings. We manually searched reference lists and collected information from US Food and Drug Administration documents and unpublished trial reports. We imposed no language restrictions.

    SELECTION CRITERIA: We included double-blind, parallel-group, randomised controlled trials comparing oral galantamine with placebo for a treatment duration exceeding four weeks in people with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease or with mild cognitive impairment.

    DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Working independently, two review authors selected studies for inclusion, assessed their quality, and extracted data. Outcomes of interest included cognitive function, change in global function, activities of daily living, functional disability, behavioural function, and adverse events. We used a fixed-effect model for meta-analytic synthesis, and presented results as Peto odds ratios (OR) or weighted mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals. We used Cochrane's original risk of bias tool (RoB 1) to assess the risk of bias in the included studies.

    MAIN RESULTS: We included 21 studies with a total of 10,990 participants. The average age of participants was 74 years, and 37% were male. The studies' durations ranged from eight weeks to two years, with 24 weeks being the most common duration. One newly included study assessed the effects of galantamine at two years, and another newly included study involved participants with severe Alzheimer's disease. Nineteen studies with 10,497 participants contributed data to the meta-analysis. All studies had low to unclear risk of bias for randomisation, allocation concealment, and blinding. We judged four studies to be at high risk of bias due to attrition and two due to selective outcome reporting. Galantamine for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease We summarise only the results for galantamine given at 8 to 12 mg twice daily (total galantamine 16 mg to 24 mg/day), assessed at six months. See the full review for results of other dosing regimens and assessment time points. There is high-certainty evidence that, compared to placebo, galantamine improves: cognitive function, as assessed with the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-cog) (MD-2.86, 95% CI -3.29 to -2.43; 6 studies, 3049 participants; minimum clinically important effect (MCID) = 2.6- to 4-point change); functional disability, as assessed with the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) scale (MD 2.12, 95% CI 0.75 to 3.49; 3 studies, 1275 participants); and behavioural function, as assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) (MD -1.63, 95% CI -3.07 to -0.20; 2 studies, 1043 participants) at six months. Galantamine may improve global function at six months, as assessed with the Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC-plus) (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.84; 6 studies, 3002 participants; low-certainty evidence). Participants who received galantamine were more likely than placebo-treated participants to discontinue prematurely (22.7% versus 17.2%) (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.68; 6 studies, 3336 participants; high-certainty evidence), and experience nausea (20.9% versus 8.4%) (OR 2.89, 95% CI 2.40 to 3.49; 7 studies, 3616 participants; high-certainty evidence) during the studies. Galantamine reduced death rates at six months: 1.3% of participants in the galantamine groups had died compared to 2.3% in the placebo groups (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.96; 6 studies, 3493 participants; high-certainty evidence). Galantamine for mild cognitive impairment We summarise results, assessed at two years, from two studies that gave participants galantamine at 8 to 12 mg twice daily (total galantamine 16 mg to 24 mg/day). Compared to placebo, galantamine may not improve cognitive function, as assessed with the expanded ADAS-cog for mild cognitive impairment (MD -0.21, 95% CI -0.78 to 0.37; 2 studies, 1901 participants; low-certainty evidence) or activities of daily living, assessed with the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study - Activities of Daily Living scale for mild cognitive impairment (MD 0.30, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.86; 2 studies, 1901 participants; low-certainty evidence). Participants who received galantamine were probably more likely to discontinue prematurely than placebo-treated participants (40.7% versus 28.6%) (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.05; 2 studies, 2057 participants) and to experience nausea (29.4% versus 10.7%) (OR 3.49, 95% CI 2.75 to 4.44; 2 studies, 2057 participants), both with moderate-certainty evidence. Galantamine may not reduce death rates at 24 months compared to placebo (0.5% versus 0.1%) (OR 5.03, 95% CI 0.87 to 29.10; 2 studies, 2057 participants; low-certainty evidence). Results from subgroup analysis and meta-regression suggest that an imbalance in discontinuation rates between galantamine and placebo groups, together with the use of the 'last observation carried forward' approach to outcome assessment, may potentially bias cognitive outcomes in favour of galantamine.

    AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Compared to placebo, galantamine (when given at a total dose of 16 mg to 24 mg/day) slows the decline in cognitive function, functional ability, and behaviour at six months in people with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Galantamine probably also slows declines in global function at six months. The changes observed in cognition, assessed with the ADAS-cog scale, were clinically meaningful. Gastrointestinal-related adverse events are the primary concerns associated with galantamine use in people with dementia, which may limit its tolerability. Although death rates were generally low, participants in the galantamine groups had a reduced risk of death compared to those in the placebo groups. There is no evidence to support the use of galantamine in people with mild cognitive impairment.

    MeSH terms: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Cholinesterase Inhibitors/therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Male; Quality of Life; Bias (Epidemiology); Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Nootropic Agents/therapeutic use
  7. Chan LF, Ibrahim N, Khamal NR, Panirselvam RR, Pereira EJ, Khan M
    Crisis, 2024 Nov;45(6):383-388.
    PMID: 39545401 DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000974
  8. Gong Y, Hu H, Zhao X, Wei W, Zhang M, Tran NT, et al.
    J Virol, 2024 Dec 17;98(12):e0151924.
    PMID: 39545727 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01519-24
    As an enduring hot topic in the field of innate immunity, apoptosis is widely considered an effective approach to eliminate pathogenic microbes and plays a crucial role during host-pathogen interactions. Recently, researchers have found that the virus-containing host cells could transmit apoptotic signals to the surrounding uninfected cells during infection, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that exosomes secreted by WSSV-infected mud crab hemocytes contain viral nucleic acid wsv277, which could be transported to the recipient cells and further expressed viral protein with phosphokinase activity. Besides, by using transcriptome, proteome, ChIP-seq, and coIP techniques, the results revealed that wsv277 could activate the transcription and translation of apoptotic genes via interacting with CBF and EF-1α so as to suppress the spread of virus infection by inducing apoptosis of the surrounding cells. Therefore, for the first time, our study proved that the components of DNA virus could be encapsulated into exosomes and elucidated the mechanism of apoptotic signal transduction between cells from the perspective of exosomes.

    IMPORTANCE: Our study revealed that the components of DNA virus could be packaged and transmitted through the exosomes of lower invertebrates, which strongly demonstrated the diversity of exosome-mediated viral immunity and its universality in animals. Furthermore, we elucidated the mechanism of apoptotic signal transduction between cells from the perspective of exosomes and revealed a novel strategy for the host to cope with viral infection.

    MeSH terms: Animals; DNA, Viral/genetics; Immunity, Innate*; Apoptosis*
  9. Selim HMRM, Gomaa FAM, Alshahrani MY, Morgan RN, Aboshanab KM
    Ther Deliv, 2024 Nov 15.
    PMID: 39545771 DOI: 10.1080/20415990.2024.2426824
    The ongoing global health crisis caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria necessitates quick interventions to introduce new management strategies for MDR-associated infections and antimicrobial agents' resistance. Phage therapy emerges as an antibiotic substitute for its high specificity, efficacy, and safety profiles in treating MDR-associated infections. Various in vitro and in vivo studies denoted their eminent bactericidal and anti-biofilm potential. This review addresses the latest developments in phage therapy regarding their attack strategies, formulations, and administration routes. It additionally discusses and elaborates on the status of phage therapy undergoing clinical trials, and the challenges encountered in their usage, and explores prospects in phage therapy research and application.
  10. Yee NL, Binti Muhammad Riduan Wong LFW, Stewart MA, Nor Haty Binti H, Singh GKJ, Bin Mohamad Anuar MF
    Florence Nightingale J Nurs, 2024 Jun 28;32(2):118-125.
    PMID: 39545780 DOI: 10.5152/FNJN.2024.23037
    Computer vision syndrome has been an issue of concern among students who use digital devices continuously. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and level of knowledge on computer vision syndrome and its relationship with associated factors among undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. This study was conducted between 26 May and 23 June 2022 at National University of Malaysia. A cross-sectional study among 208 undergraduate students from a public university was conducted. A self-reported questionnaire via Google Form was used to capture the data among the undergraduates. The prevalence and associated factors of computer vision syndrome were each evaluated using the validated Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire and Computer Vision Syndrome Survey Form 3 questionnaires, respectively, while knowledge of computer vision syndrome was assessed using a validated questionnaire from a previous study. All the data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26.0 software (IBM Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA). The prevalence of computer vision syndrome among undergraduates was 63.0% (n=131), with 91.9% having poor knowledge of computer vision syndrome. Significant associations toward computer vision syndrome were found among undergraduates who have refractive errors/wearing glass (69.3%), screen edge at or above horizontal eye level (79.4%), uncomfortable sitting postures (79.4%) and close eye-screen distance (82.0%). In-depth analysis showed that having refractive errors/wearing glasses (aOR: 1.93; CI: 1.05, 3.57), uncomfortable sitting postures (aOR: 2.01; CI: 1.08, 3.74), and close eye-screen distance (aOR: 2.81; CI: 1.31, 6.05) had odd chance to develop computer vision syndrome. The study's findings denoted that digital device users should have more knowledge of computer vision syndrome and practice the preventable measures, such as proper viewing distance and angle, upright sitting postures, appropriate screen and surrounding illuminance, as well as regular eye check-ups.
  11. Kwok JL, Somani B, Sarica K, Yuen SKK, Zawadzki M, Castellani D, et al.
    Urolithiasis, 2024 Nov 15;52(1):162.
    PMID: 39545972 DOI: 10.1007/s00240-024-01662-4
    Flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) is a potential game changer in flexible ureteroscopy (FURS). The influence of sheath size on outcomes needs research. The primary aim was to analyze 30-day single stage stone free status (SFS), zero fragment rate (ZFR) and complications when using 10/12Fr sheaths vis a vis other sheath sizes. The global FANS research group published the 30-day outcomes in patients who underwent FANS and reasoned this can be a potential game changer. We included 295 patients from this anonymized dataset with division into two groups: Group 1 (Smaller sheath) - 10/12Fr FANS, and Group 2 (Larger sheath) - 11/13Fr or 12/14Fr sheaths. Stone volume was similar between both groups (median 1320 mm3, p = 0.88). Ureteroscopy and total operative time was longer in the smaller sheath group (35 vs. 32 min, p = 0.02 and 50 vs. 45 min, p = 0.001, respectively). While 30-day computed tomography SFS (100% stone free or single residual fragment ≤ 2 mm) were not significantly different (96% vs. 95%, p > 0.99), ZFR (100% stone-free) was better with smaller sheaths (68% vs. 53%, p = 0.02). There was no difference in postoperative complication rates, and no sepsis in both groups. Urologists should consider individualizing appropriate sheath size in normal adult kidneys. Sheath size did not affect complication rates, risk of perioperative injury to the pelvicalyceal system or ureteric injury, but smaller FANS sheaths had similar high SFS. The ZFR with smaller sheaths was better, but this needs to be validated. These smaller sheath outcomes need to be balanced with longer ureteroscopy time, operative time, reach to the lower pole, ease of suction and visibility during lithotripsy. Large volume studies in different types of pelvicalyceal anatomy can determine if indeed smaller FANS is the best choice in FURS.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Kidney Calculi/surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Suction/instrumentation; Ureter/surgery; Ureteral Calculi/surgery; Treatment Outcome; Ureteroscopes*; Operative Time
  12. Kazim AR, Heo CC, Shahrizal S, Er YX, Houssaini J, Veit A, et al.
    Vet Res Commun, 2024 Nov 15;49(1):6.
    PMID: 39546073 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10591-x
    An undescribed relapsing fever group Borrelia species was detected in a male Haemaphysalis semermis tick infesting a rural cat in an indigenous population in Pahang National Park, Peninsular Malaysia. The 16 S rRNA gene sequence revealed close similarity of this variant to several undescribed Borrelia species and Borrelia theileri, with genetic distances ranging from 0.58 to 0.72%. Furthermore, the flaB, gyrB, and the concatenated 16 S rRNA + flaB + gyrB sequence analyses demonstrated that this variant is distinctly separated from multiple undescribed Borrelia species, Borrelia miyamotoi, and B. theileri, with genetic distances ranging from 3.41 to 7.00%. This study not only reports the first Borrelia found in H. semermis but also suggests that it forms a distinct clade within the relapsing fever group in Peninsular Malaysia.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Cats; Malaysia; Male; Phylogeny; Tick Infestations/parasitology; Tick Infestations/veterinary
  13. Shukla A, Rockey DC, Kamath PS, Kleiner DE, Singh A, Vaidya A, et al.
    Hepatol Int, 2024 Dec;18(6):1684-1711.
    PMID: 39546143 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-024-10739-6
    Since the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) published guidelines on non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis/idiopathic portal hypertension in 2007, there has been a surge in new information, especially with the introduction of the term porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD). Non-cirrhotic intra-hepatic causes of portal hypertension include disorders with a clearly identifiable etiology, such as schistosomiasis, as well as disorders with an unclear etiology such as non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF), also termed idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH). This entity is being increasingly recognized as being associated with systemic disease and drug therapy, especially cancer therapy. An international working group with extensive expertise in portal hypertension was assigned with formulating consensus guidelines to clarify the definition, diagnosis, histological features, natural history, and management of NCPF/IPH, especially in the context of PSVD. The guidelines were prepared based on evidence from existing published literature. Whenever there was paucity of evidence, expert opinion was included after detailed deliberation. The goal of this manuscript, therefore, is to enhance the current understanding and help create global consensus on the issues surrounding NCPF/IPH.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Liver Cirrhosis/complications; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis; Practice Guidelines as Topic
  14. Gholami H, Darvishi E, Moradi N, Mohammadifar A, Song Y, Li Y, et al.
    PMID: 39546243 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35521-x
    Soil erosion by wind poses a significant threat to various regions across the globe, such as drylands in the Middle East and Iran. Wind erosion hazard maps can assist in identifying the regions of highest wind erosion risk and are a valuable tool for the mitigation of its destructive consequences. This study aims to map wind erosion hazards by developing an interpretable (explainable) model based on machine learning (ML) and Shapley additive exPlanation (SHAP) interpretation techniques. Four ML models, namely random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) were used. Thirteen features associated with wind erosion were mapped spatially and then subjected to a multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) feature selection algorithm, and then, tolerance coefficient (TC) and variance inflation factor (VIF) statistical tests were used to explore multicollinearity among the variables. MARS analysis shows that eight features consisting of elevation (or DEM), soil bulk density, precipitation, aspect, slope, soil sand content, vegetation cover (or NDVI), and lithology were the most effective for wind erosion, while no collinearity existed among these variables. The ML models were used for ranking the effective features, and the research introduces the application of an interpretable ML model for the interpretation of predictive model's output. The ranking of effective features by RF-as the most typical ML model-revealed that elevation and soil bulk density were the two most important features. According to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) (with a value > 90%) and precision-recall (PR) (with a value > 90%) curves, all four ML models performed with great accuracy. According to the PR curve, the SVM model performed slightly better than others, and its results revealed that 20.9%, 23%, and 16.6% of the total area in Hormozgan Province is characterized by moderate, high, and very high hazard classes to wind erosion, respectively. SHAP revealed that soil sand content and elevation are the most important variables contributing to the predictive model output. Overall, our research is one of the pioneering applications of interpretable ML models in mapping wind erosion hazards in Southern Iran. We recommend that future research should address the aspect of interpretability in order to better understand predictive model outputs.
  15. Tong WT, Lee YK, Ng CJ, Lee PY
    PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0310654.
    PMID: 39546450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310654
    BACKGROUND: Implementation, which is defined as the process of getting evidence-based innovation to be utilised is critical in ensuring innovation is being integrated into real-world practice. The way an implementation intervention (i.e., a bundle of strategies to facilitate implementation) is developed has an impact on the types of strategies chosen, and whether they are relevant to the implementation setting to exert their effects. However, literature pertaining to development of intervention or detailed descriptions of implementation processes are scarce. This study aims to report the development of an implementation intervention to integrate the use of an evidence-based innovation in routine practice, using a Malaysian insulin patient decision aid (PDA) as an exemplar.

    METHODS: The development of the insulin PDA implementation intervention was divided into two phases, incorporating step 3 and 4 of the Action Cycle in the Knowledge to Action framework. In Phase 1, barriers to the insulin PDA implementation was explored through qualitative interviews using an interview guide developed based on the Theoretical Domains Framework. In Phase 2, prioritisation of the barriers was conducted using the multivoting technique. Next, potential strategies that can address the barriers were identified based on understanding the clinic context, and evidence from literature. Then, the selected strategies were operationalised by providing full descriptions in terms of its actor, action, action target, temporality, dose, implementation outcome affected, before they were embedded into the patient care pathway in the clinic. The implementation intervention was finalised through a clinic stakeholders meeting.

    RESULTS: In Phase 1, a total of 15 focus group discussions and 37 in-depth individual interviews were conducted with: healthcare policymakers (n = 11), doctors (n = 22), diabetes educators (n = 8), staff nurses (n = 6), pharmacists (n = 6), and patients (n = 31). A total of 26 barriers and 11 facilitators emerged and they were categorised into HCP, patient, organisational, and innovation factors. The multivoting exercise resulted in the prioritisation of 13 barriers, and subsequently, a total of 11 strategies were identified to address those barriers. The strategies were mandate change, training workshop, involve patients' family members or caretakers, framing/reframing, inform healthcare providers on the advantages of the insulin PDA use, define roles and responsibilities, place the insulin PDA in the consultation room, provide feedback, systematic documentation, to engage patients in treatment discussions, and juxtapose PDA in preferred language with patient's PDA in their preferred language to help with translation.

    CONCLUSION: This study highlights main barriers to PDA implementation, and strategies that can be adopted for implementation. The steps for intervention development in this study can be compared with other intervention development methods to advance the field of implementation of evidence-based innovations.

    MeSH terms: Decision Support Techniques*; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Patient Participation; Focus Groups
  16. Kunji Koya R, Branston JR, Gallagher AWA
    PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0313695.
    PMID: 39546488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313695
    The relationships between cigarette affordability, consumer income levels and distribution, and tax increases are complex and underexplored. This study investigates different ways of calculating the Relative Income Price (RIP) measure of affordability using Malaysia as a case study. We calculate cigarette affordability in Malaysia between 2009-2019 using government data, and multiple RIP variants. The conventional RIP calculation relies on 2,000 sticks and GDP (henceforth standard RIP). We explore that and other variants that use annual cigarette consumption estimates and/or proportions of various financial measures of wealth in both rural and urban areas. Our findings indicate broadly consistent trends in cigarette affordability across all methods. From 2009 to 2012, there was a slight decrease in the percentage of wealth required to purchase cigarettes, followed by an increase in 2015 and 2016, and then another decline, suggesting a recent trend toward increased affordability. Using the standard RIP method, 0.9 percentage points(pp) more of per capita GDP was required between 2009 and 2016, but, by 2019 it was 0.1pp less than in 2016. However, Household Income Per Capita (HIPC) and Household Expenditure Per Capita (HEPC) provide a more nuanced perspective on cigarette affordability compared to GDP per capita, as they reveal larger shifts in affordability. The conventional 2,000 sticks method using HIPC from 2009 to 2016 indicated 0.3pp more of income was required to purchase cigarettes, but by 2019, it was 1.0pp less than in 2016. Using HIPC with actual consumption estimates, smokers required approximately 0.9pp more of average income to purchase cigarettes between 2014 and 2016, but 2.5pp less from 2016 to 2019. Actual consumption estimates offer insight into smokers' ability to offset higher purchase costs by adjusting consumption patterns without quitting. We conclude that to address issues related to cigarette affordability, the Malaysian government should consider increasing tobacco tax vis-à-vis income growth.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Income*; Malaysia; Taxes/economics
  17. Saharudin DM, Jeswani HK, Azapagic A
    J Environ Manage, 2024 Dec;371:123250.
    PMID: 39547020 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123250
    Forest carbon sequestration is a promising negative emissions technology as it is relatively simple and inexpensive. Its potential for climate mitigation could be particularly high in tropical rainforests as they can store more carbon at a faster rate. However, the understanding of its sustainability is limited due to the scarcity of studies. Focusing on reforestation, this work is the first to present an extensive environmental and economic assessment of forest CO2 sequestration in a tropical rainforest country such as Malaysia. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) are combined to evaluate the sustainability of reforestation with four tropical tree species: keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.), meranti (Shorea leprosula), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) and kapok (Ceiba Pentandra). Considering the horizon of 60 years, the system boundaries comprise site infrastructure, land clearing, tree planting and growing, and forest management. The dynamics of greenhouse gas (GHG) and other air emissions are also considered over the period, including carbon sequestration and land use change, nitrous oxide and ethylene emissions. All tree species lead to a net-negative GHG emissions, ranging from -558 to -808 kg CO2 eq./t CO2 removed, with kapok having the highest and rubber the lowest sequestration potential. The latter has the highest values in 13 other impact categories considered, while keruing is the best option for 12 impacts. The main environmental hotspot for all species is the forest management stage. The LCC range from -US$17 to US$12/t CO2 removed. Reforestation on lands available in Malaysia could remove 105.9-473.3 Mt CO2 over 60 years, or 1.8-7.9 Mt CO2/yr, equivalent to 7.4-33 % of the agricultural emissions. Rubber and kapok could generate US$640 M and US$8.06 bn in profits over 60 years from latex and fibre, respectively. Therefore, reforestation has a significant potential to help tropical countries, such as Malaysia, achieve net-negative emissions, while at the same time boosting the economy.
    MeSH terms: Carbon Dioxide/analysis; Conservation of Natural Resources; Malaysia; Trees; Tropical Climate; Forestry/economics; Carbon Sequestration; Rainforest*
  18. Guo X, Liu H, Hou R, Chen G, Xiao H, Liu L, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Dec;283(Pt 4):137463.
    PMID: 39547604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.137463
    Polyphenols are plant secondary metabolites that have attracted much attention due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut homeostasis promoting effects. However, food matrix interaction, poor solubility, and strong digestion and metabolism of polyphenols cause barriers to their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, which further reduces bioavailability and limits polyphenols' application in the food industry. Nano-delivery systems composed of biocompatible macromolecules (polysaccharides, proteins and lipids) are an effective way to improve the bioavailability of polyphenols. Therefore, this review introduces the construction of biopolymer-based nano-delivery systems and their application in polyphenols, with emphasis on improving the solubility, stability, sustained release and intestinal targeting of polyphenols. In addition, there are possible positive effects of polyphenol-loaded nano-delivery systems on modulating gut microbiota and gut homeostasis, with particular emphasis on modulating intestinal inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and gut-brain axis. It is worth noting that the safety of bio-based nano-delivery systems still need to be further studied. In summary, the application of the bio-based nano-delivery system to deliver polyphenols provides insights for improving the bioavailability of polyphenols and for the treatment of potential diseases in the future.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Biological Availability; Humans; Proteins/chemistry; Gastrointestinal Tract/drug effects; Gastrointestinal Tract/metabolism; Nanoparticles/chemistry
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